Ame's story! Her life!
by Hana Teirra-chan
Summary: Amu has an older sister, a more famous sister who not only has Charas, she's Hoshina Utau's rival! Her little sisters cool and spicy, her best friend's a catboy and her prince wants to use her to get the embryo. WHat's a girl to do? OcXIkuto.
1. The start of Myself

**Teirra: Alright! On with the show--or OS, or whatever! Confused! **

**Ame: *sighs* You're too weird! You can NOT be my creator.**

**Teirra: Of course I can! Be careful what you say, cause I can always give Ikuto to Amu…**

**Ikuto: Don't be so harsh, Teirra-chan…**

**Teirra: *faints***

**Ame: There she goes. Thanks, Ikuto! Now whose going to do the Disclaimer?**

**Ikuto: I'll do it. Alright, Teirra-chan does not own Shugo chara or any of the characters, only the plot and her own imagination induced in the story. Nor does she own any of the song lyrics or references she may or may not use for Ame or Utau, see as how she doesn't know the Japanese lyrics.**

**Ame:…I love it when you do that *waves fan to wake Teirra*…**

**Ame's story!**

**Chapter one: The starting of myself… **

Ame's POV

I rolled over to the sound of my phone vibrating, rubbing the dust of my sleep away from my eyes. My plush room of vibrant reds and melancholy grays did NOT help my headache, but I shoved the throbbing sensation to the outskirts of my conscience as I picked up my cell phone. I groaned as I remembered why I had my phone set to alarm for school--I became outraged with my standard alarm and chunked it at the wall. The pieces were still there, lying in a twisted heap of now scrap metal.

I raised my head and rotated it to stretch the muscles in my neck as I prepared to get dressed. Of course, I was at the high school now, finally, so I had a new uniform to try on. I glared menacingly at the skirt they expected me to wear, the black fabric clashing with the soft silver blue borders, hoping futilely that the board may consider letting me where the boys uniform, or at least pants. Maybe I could pull so strings with my Star status…

"Ame."

A cool feminine voice chirped at me from my left ear, and I saw the fist Shugo Chara that had hatched from my two eggs. A silver head of fur, pulled back into a funky braid that made her long hair short--much like my white hair--dangerous cat paws, cute cat ears, a swishing tail with a red string that tied around the tip of her tail that held three different strings with jingling little gold bells, her eyes pierced me with an angry sort of malicious edge that normally came with her yellow silver tint.

"Mina. You know very well I hate skirts, much less that puffy thing." I threw myself in front of a body length mirror, critiquing the body before me. She was pretty, I had to give her that. Her cloud colored hair shone in an uncharacteristic way as she pulled her waist length elbow length locks up and twisted them around into Mina's fashion--in a strange little butterfly bow with strands still too long to fit falling down. The jacket of the uniform fit snuggly to her body, pulling in tightly at her waist before her skirt took over with little crosses and lacy patterns. Her chest felt tight in the white dress shirt under the jacket, I knew. She opted to wear onyx leggings, something I deeply agreed with, seeing as how I hated it when guys looked at me down there, but something she and I had to deal with regularly.

But it was her face that sort of threw me off. She wore no make up, of course. She had the infamous Gold Hinamori Eyes that glared back in defiance, her small nose, her firm jaw set with anxiety. Her eyebrows tapered down in a strange expression. I could help but wonder what she was trying to figure out.

"If you don't hurry, you'll be late." My second, energetic and blissful chara informed. She had a lavish pink dress on and a sketch pad in one hand, her green hair pulled up to one side, and glasses framing her face. Her green eyes scorched me with happiness, so much as to where I had to smile, if only for her sake.

"Alright, Karasu." I closed my eyes in an attempt to shake her feeling, trudging out my room, waving bye to my little sister Amu and her three charas, Ran, Miki, and Su, and then out onto the street, Mina on my shoulder for protection. Being a cat had it's advantages, it seems.

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School was boring. School didn't mean much to me. If Mama hadn't wanted me to come back from my work as Hoshina Utau's Rival in the art of Pop Rock, I would still be there, working my butt off so I could finally triumph her in the top ten. She had me by like, five fans.

But I couldn't say I wasn't grateful to Mama. I 'd sort of been wanting to break free of my busy work schedule. I glance at Mina on the corner of my desk, curled into a ball as she napped. I smiled faintly. That urge of freedom had been the trigger to create Mina, to escape all of the world's troublesome little details. A stray cat, so to say.

A ruler slammed down onto my desk, making Mina screech in protest and I ripped my eyes to the man holding the dangerous school tool. My teacher, Nadamaru-sensei was glaring at me angrily from behind his square glasses.

"Himamori-san! If you want to daydream in my class, at least do it when I'm not standing right in front of you!" …It's Hi_na_mori-san sir. "Now if you'd please answer the question on the board."…And No, I'm not free. Not from this life, as hard as I try with Mina.

He motioned to the blackboard with all the little chalk stains and the complex math problem. I stood, flushing slightly as I worked the problem out immediately in my head. The answer was simple, even for an advanced problem. I picked up the chalk and wrote a big, fat 0 beside the equal sign, then returned to my daydreaming in my seat.

What was I doing with my life? Other than chasing after my ultimate goal and fantasizing about a boy who hasn't noticed me yet, despite my title, I hadn't done anything yet. I want to do something important to help someone, to be someone, and more importantly, to figure out for once and for all who the hell I was inside.

That afternoon was the day all of it started. That afternoon was when I realized who I was inside, or at least, set me on the track to figuring it out.

That afternoon was the start of myself.

**Teirra: Whoa! That's so short! Especially on Fanfic. I'm just going to have to learn how to lengthen mine out a little.**

**Ame: Wow, you're awake already? And what's the deal with me thinking about some other girl in a mirror? The girl is me right?**

**Teirra: Of course. Anyway, Ikuto, take it away!**

**Ikuto: Rate and review please! Don't be afraid to tell her how horrible she is!**

**Teirra: Hey! **


	2. I met them both that afternoon

**Teirra: OK, seeing as how short the first one was, I really have to lengthen mine out a bit. Jeez, who new four pages in Microsoft would be like, so short on fanfic?**

**Ikuto: Not to mention it sucks.**

**Ame: *slaps Ikuto on his arm* Hey! That's not fair to her!**

**Teirra: *shrugs* 'tis true. Maybe because I'm nervous. This is my first submission, anyway.**

**Ame: Yeah, but you don't normally write like this.**

**Ikuto: Anyway! Teirra does not own any part of Shugo Chara, nor any of the songs that she may or may not add for Ame and Utau. The usual. **

**Teirra: So cruel! But so Hot! *groans***

**Ikuto: ….**

**Chapter two: I met the two boys that afternoon.**

And boy, was my life changed forever. Sorta.

My life seemed to go in slow motion as I walked down the marble steps of the Gakuen I was attending now. Mina, being the cat she was, had flown off my shoulder in an attempt to catch an autumn moth with a prepared pounce. I was worried someone would see her, but I couldn't move because of the foreboding mass of pressing bodies all around me.

Then I felt a hand clamp down on my shoulder, and I swiveled my head around to see the person whose hand could be broken in about two seconds.

I stopped mid-swing.

It was my prince, the one I was so sure had never laid eyes on me before in his life. His name was Anami, Shiro (last name first), top in his class, sports, ladies, you name it, he had it. He had unruly light brown hair, gorgeous light blue eyes, perfect smile, and perfect demeanor. His face was sort of… confused, eyebrows drawn together tightly as his lips turned into a frown.

"Ah…excuse me." I felt Mina sift through my hair to get to my shoulder, felt her watching him out from behind my neck. "Do you…" His eyes trailed to Mina, and she shrank back.

Immediately, I tore my shoulder away from him to stop the small tremor of emotion running through my teenage body that could only deal with the slightest of feelings. "Could you not touch me?" I snapped petulantly, falling back onto Mina's chara change, which gave me the courage to speak, but came with the drawback of an irritability.

He flinched, and I instantly felt remorse. I may have just ruined my first encounter with my Ooji-sama. Curse you, Mina! "Uh…sorry, my mistake." He hurried to catch up with a few friends watching from the bottom of the steps as I mentally slapped myself a thousand times.

_You Idiot! Now he'll never talk to you again!_

Depressed, I scuffled out the front gate of school with my head down, my soul floating out of my body--even it didn't want to be with such a stupid girl. I didn't want to go home, at least not yet, so I called Mama and told her that I was out with some friends and that I'd be home later. She was so happy I had friends and my unsociable attitude hadn't scared them off that she let me go!

I don't have friends--all of them just want me to give there bands some breaks here and there, or they want to be famous or something else. They didn't want to know the real me. Not that I knew who the real me _was, _but all the same.

"Ne, ne, Ame. Want to chara change with me and go tour the city?" Mina asked hesitantly, sensing the unease within me.

I smiled at her, and ruffled her hair with my hand, almost completely covering it. "Thanks, Mina. But I just want to walk." She purred, ,having a small, quick rise in hers, like a chirp.

I thought about a lot of things as I unconsciously moved my feet in the direction of the large park in the center of the city. Central Park? Nah, we're not cool enough for a name as amazing as that. I just call it the park.

I sat down under the white veranda on the small bench with no armrests. I watched as the sun sat dangerously on the horizon, taking a deep breath of the autumn air around me, inviting the strange smell of vanilla, honey, and lilac smell I occasionally got when I came to this spot. I only got it at night or at Twilight, which is odd, but I paid little attention to the detail. It seemed to be coming from a certain tree, but I was too focused on it to actually move. It smelled too _good._ So good, in fact, that My ears popped up and all of my thoughts faded away.

Great. Now I was a _scent pervert_? Just what my dejected soul needed.

A branch snapped, and I broke out of my delighted trance, eyes flashing in the darkness of fading light as my cat instincts began to pulse with surprise. The dark of the low light seemed to brighten slightly as I tried to focus on who might have been there.

A few moments passed before I decided all was well.

I stood up, stretching my arms, my eyes tracing every detail of the pale overhang. Something about it felt so nostalgic, like a memory I couldn't remember. All I kept getting was this purple butterfly showing up in a black abyss, spare the drama. That butterfly was barring the way to the memory I was puzzling over.

And then, I saw blue eyes. Beautiful, mesmerizing, fushiigi (mysterious) eyes, so crystal like, so amazingly brilliant, so darkly stunning, I could not believe they were my memory.

And as it turned out, they weren't.

I heard his voice before I could tear my eyes away from his shadowy ice ones. It was a husky, sultry tone that could chill you, freeze you to the spot with a single word, but at the same time invite you in. Seductive as dusk, he charged with a slight snarl, "Who are you?"

I took a slight step back, feeling the heel of my shoe discover the edge of the first step. My hands came up slightly in defense, and Mina stood at the ready on my shoulder. This was the first time I ever had laid eyes on him. On the second person who changed my life forever.

The first look at Tsukiyomi Ikuto.

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He was… I struggled for the right word.

Ah found it.

HOT.

Smokin' hot. Gorgeously crafted from Kami-sama himself. An angel who'd lost his wings. Those were my only thoughts on how such a beautiful person could have landed here. In front of me. _Alone._

My face flushed immediately in the darkness on the new moon now that the sun had completely set. Thank _God_. He couldn't see. Well, anymore than what he could seeing me here on the outside porch.

Well, I believe it's time to describe him. Beautiful, long midnight shaded locks of soft fur that my eyes could see perfectly, pale skin, flawless face, strong arms, muscular chest beneath what seemed to be my school uniform, hands in his pockets. Perfect beautiful eyes, as recently described. His broad shoulder bore home to what seemed to be a Shugo Chara, but I couldn't make out who or what it was, if one at all.

Did I mention how entrancing his voice was?

"Have a voice? Or are you going to stare at me all night?" His lip quirked into a half smirk that made my heart beat a _teensy_ bit faster.

I coughed into my palm, breaking free of his spell. "I'm…Ame…" I was careful not to give him my whole name. Who knew who he was.

He paused, then stepped back a second to lean against a beam of the overhang, "The Ame?" I flinched. He was quick. I like that. Or--hate it, I don't know which one yet. "What are you doing in such a small secluded place like the park? At night?" I felt the smirk dancing across his lips, and I took a step back. Even angels could be perverts out for a little fun…Or worse…

"Ah…Um…I-" I stammered, readying myself to spring away with Mina, who was cautiously thrashing her tail back and forth. A small hiss escaped her lips, and the boys ears slightly perked. Had he heard her?

He sighed, watching me with somber eyes as if he couldn't believe I had been so stupid as to have come here alone. "Jeez, I thought girls knew better than this." He took a step towards me, towering over me easily. "Go home." The words alone were enough to make the bounce in my step spring me backwards towards the exit. I would have done it earlier had I not been so fixated on the boy and his words.

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Finally, Ikuto's POV

She disappeared out of sight, making me sigh with relief. That could not have been the Hinamori Ame that he knew. She had been too cowardly, unlike her TV appearances where she intimidates the interviewers slightly. Still, she _had_ looked like her.

Someone landed beside me on the veranda, and I glanced over My chara, Yoru, to see my friend, Muko, the slightly rambunctious seventeen year old with short russet brown hair that went in all the right places. He held third place for hottest guy in school--not that I care--, me second, and Anami Shiro first, what with his amazingly bright amber eyes, sort of tanned skin, silver hoop earring, that was thankfully in his left ear. He was still in his uniform too.

Sometimes I truly wondered if I became friends with him on a complete accident.

For example;

Muko was a positive, energetic young youth who I've never seen frown in my life. He's good at sports, likes to flirt in the _nice_ ways.

I, on the other hand, held the known position of worst attitude. I was an easily annoyed person who didn't talk much, was always smirking instead of smiling, I hate sports, and When I flirt its to get them the hell away from me, to satisfy there girlish feelings.

See the difference? What the hell was I thinking?

I gazed at him for a moment while his dog tail and fluffy ears popped away in a puff of sparkles. He smiled, and I narrowed my eyes. "That expression could only be bad for me."

"Nah, I was just glad to see you were here." He paused, remembering something. "But, I didn't think you had a secret girlfriend, Ikuto-kun."

I growled at him and he smirked. "I _don't_."

A sharp high pitch scream tore through the air, suddenly cut off. My cat ears immediately shot up, as did Muko's. The voice was familiar, I knew it now that I'd heard it once. It was close, Not too far. "Muko." I breathed, and he nodded a single nod, face impossibly blank. I jumped using Yoru's character change so as to be able to jump from one tree to another.

Oh no. It was Ame, of course.

And not too mention a whole bunch of street thugs trying to drag her down a dark alleyway.

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**Teirra: Ah, such a nice cliffy. Anyway, I--**

**Ame: What the Hell?! You're dragging me down a dark alleyway?! How the hell is that creative at all? **

**Ikuto: Well, because it's fun to torture you with little cliff hangers, Ame, that's why. **

**Shiro: *nods* Honto, Honto.**

**Ame: *confused as to why she's in a closed space with the two guys who she likes* Alright, then. Rate and Review! Please, before I'm eaten by these two perverts who might just very well do it…**

**Ikuto: *Smirks* Muko, Get the Knives and forks…**

**Teirra: How'd I get stuck with these Characters???**


	3. Saved by the Nekomimi hentai cosplay boy

**Teirra: Hai, Hai! Doki-to Starto, Shugo chara Time-o! A--**

**Ame, Ikuto, Ran, Miki, Su, Amu, Mina, Karasu, Muko, Tadase, Shiro, Yoru: *smack!* SHUT THE HELL UP! ~nya**

**Teirra: *falls to the floor with tears in her eyes* Ite, ite, ite. What was that for…? *sob***

**Ikuto: Bakemono! Don't you dare start that crap for a stupid fanfic! It's annoying already with those stupid little hearts and high pitch voices… * shakes head***

**Ame: *points at Ikuto* High pitch sounds hurt his ears. His own fault. ****ØØ**

**Teirra: Hey! How the hell did Tadase get in here?! * searches for Muffin Bazooka ((XD! Thx LadiiReckless!))* Get him the hell out!**

**Tadase: *turns sparkly face on* But, But! I wanted to see Hinamori-san!**

**Amu and Ame: Uh…Which one?**

**Teirra: Anyway, while I get Muko to take out his only obstacle *hint, hint*, I want Yoru to do the disclaimer.**

**Yoru: Hai, ~nya! Teirra does not own any part of Shugo chara, name sake ~nya, characters, or any other aspect of it, only the plot and the imagination added to it ~nya. She does not own any songs/bands, or song lyrics she may or may not use for Utau and Ame, ~nya.**

**Ame: *eyebrow twitching* Oi…Why was my name after hers?**

**Yoru: …Uh…I gotta go…**

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**Chapter three: The Changes Begin**

Ame's PoV

They hit me like an oncoming train in the middle of a dark street. I should have been gone by now, but the memory of that boy's cursed face kept me haunted and slowed my pace down considerably.

Despite Mina's strength to struggle, four to one was not equal fighting terms.

One grabbed my wrist as I threw it up to defend myself. Another tackled my side, tossing me against a brick wall like a freakin' rag doll. When my head connected with the rough slabs, blood sprouted from the impact there, and in my mouth. That sent a chill down my spine. I happened to let out a tortured scream, as loud as my voice could carry, which I'm proud to say was earsplitting seeing as how I'm a singer, spitting out the crimson liquid as the waves of my voice coursed over the surrounding areas.

But it didn't last long. I was immediately struck in the jaw, drawing forth a new fountain of blood to silence my first scream. I began to tremble violently as tears streamed from my eyes, and the character change came undone. The pain was blossoming throughout my body like a firework, exploding with each moment that I recognized blood in my mouth.

Everyone knew I had Haemophobia, the fear of blood. I couldn't think, breathe, even move in the sight of blood. And with it in my mouth, the taste, the smell, the feel of it made me want to gag and die.

Literally.

The four men tried to yank me into an alleyway near us, laughing cruelly as I tried, even through my Phobia, to escape. Mina wailed a cry of help from my tremulous shoulder, fear gripping her as she watched me lose who I was so unconsciously being, to these, these-

Suddenly, I felt the man who held my wrist be ripped from me, and screeches of protest suddenly shrieked like a chorus of birds, from all around. I felt the ground sigh a heavy thud as the next man came down, a muffled "Oof!" left in his wake.

I took this chance to fall over against the wall, spitting out what I could of the dead-feeling fluid that rested in my mouth. All around me, I sensed the dropping bodies, the minds emptying themselves into the blackness that was sleep. Blood still raged around me with the smell, and with a vacillating hand, I shakily covered my nose, one arm against the wall as I stood up hesitantly, bent over my stomach as precaution.

And then, after a few moments, I heard that amazing voice again.

"Mataku…When I say Go home, I mean leave!"

His hands grabbed the edges of my jaw and lifted my face gingerly so as to regard the forming yellow bruise where the man had hit me to shut up. His fingers were gentle when he felt for tenderness, but even the simplest of actions made me cry out in pain as I continued to release the trickle of blood.

"Ame!" Mina, thank goodness. I held my palm out to her and slit my eyes open to see her. Was she harmed in the scuffle? Was she worried? Well, duh, but all the same. She sat in a catlike fashion, tail whipping in uncertain circles, and I saw her eyes had changed to deep maroon. I surmised that's the state of my current eyes as well.

"Are you Ok, Ame? I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough to--" I stopped her apology by gently kissing her on her forehead, tears falling gently on her silver hair.

"Mina, do you think I care about that? I'm just glad you're ok."

She shook her head. "You're an idiot! You've just been subject to all of that, and you're worried about _me_?"

I paused. "Well, yeah, why not?" A spasm of coughing erupted from me, and I felt my savior's hands catch me as I fell. I glanced up at his face for the first time since he'd come to my rescue. His dark eyes showed no emotion, except for maybe a hint of annoyance. My vision was blurred with the immense pain, what with red spots dancing across my line of sight, but I was able to make him out as perfectly as I could the other boy behind him.

"Eh? Is this the girl you were speaking to earlier?" The boy asked, lips turned up into a smile.

The blue-haired boy nodded silently, flicking a bluish-black cat-ear. "Yeah. The one that didn't listen to my advice." he sort of-growled. Slowly, he let me go, satisfied I could deal on my own. He took a few steps back, hands in his pockets.

Shakily, I straightened and leaned against the wall, wiping the blood from my lips. I watched them carefully, unsure of them.

"Shall we go then?" The cat-boy asked, holding a hand out for me to take.

I darted my eyes away from him involuntarily to examine the unconscious men, and the boys chuckled. "Wary of your rescuers?" The brown haired boy snickered, amber eyes glowing.

Then, I heard the first boy's voice in a way I'd never heard it before, and Mina's abilities just made me recognize his true scent. His voice still had it's husky, deep sense to it, but it was more commanding after I inhaled his aroma--The lilac, honey, and vanilla smell from the park, but the smell gave me this intense surge of emotion to stop, listen, and obey. I did _not_ like that for this predicament.

Scary thing was, I didn't think he knew he was doing it.

He said, "Let me put it to you this way. Those guys were old, pathetic scumbags out for an easy deal. If we were what you're thinking we are--which we're not (entirely)--then we'd be out looking for something…" His piercing cat gaze swept over me up and down, his lips smirking in a way that sort of made me want to stick my tongue out at him, "Something more _appetizing._"

At first, I didn't understand what he meant, then I realized it was a joke, in a weird sort of way, so I laughed and took his hand without hesitation this time.

The tension melted away, just like I'd known him all my life. He pulled me towards him, having grasped my palm firmly. His grip was strong as I found my footing beside him, and I caught the faintest glimpse of a truly please smile. I became slightly guarded again, and Mina caught onto it.

Her feeling of caution was completely erased when The boys chara showed up sporting cat ears and a tail, the same gorgeous color of his owner. His eyes contained the exact color of Mina's, but slightly more carefree. "Nya~, so you're the other cat chara I've been hearing about recently."

She flushed slightly, "Yeah, and you must be the one who's got all the control over the cats in this city, right? Yoru." She snapped. This had been an irritable discussion between her and I, seeing as how she couldn't talk to a single one because of some kind of cat allegiance…Something I didn't understand well.

He narrowed his little eyes slightly. "Yeah? Is that a problem?" His voice growled slightly.

I gripped Mina firmly between the shoulders and tugged her away before her eyes had a chance to go crimson, which is when she looses her temper. "No fights tonight, Mina." I murmured lowly. She huffed silently, moving to the opposite shoulder of Yoru's presence.

I glanced up at the boys again, seeing that the brown haired boy was on a cell. I saw a curious figure on his shoulder with pointed brown ears, sickly yellow-green eyes that made me shiver, a studded black and white color whose pattern made no logical sense, and continued to shift as I examined. His hands and feet were dangerous looking russet paws with silver fur laced in…as if he was ancient. His claws made me resolve that Mina couldn't take him, even if he was lying still, asleep or otherwise. His dog tail was medium length, slightly on the wispy side.

"Ne…You both have Shugo Charas…" I uttered, wondering their reactions.

The cat boy, whose arm was wrapped around my shoulder protectively chuckled. "What else would they be?"

I blushed and looked down. "Right."

A few moments past with only the sound of the dog boy on the phone to entertain my ears, as we moved in some random direction that I was sure that wasn't toward my house. But how would they know where I lived? I didn't even know they're names yet. Then, The boy with his arm around me said, "Ame, right?"

I looked up at his stunningly beautiful face. "R-right…"

The other boy snapped the phone shut, a wide grin on his easy going face, which was pretty too, in a loose term. "Oi, Yuuta-kun's on the next corner. She just got done getting set up. Good thing we were in this side of the city tonight, huh, na, Ikuto-kun?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Muko." He didn't take his eyes off of me, and I was so caught up in his, I didn't look away either. I searched them for some sign of emotion, something to give his mask away. "Ne, Ame, let's go fix you?"

I blinked, cocking my head to the side.

"Fixed? Was I broken?"

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**Teirra: Alright! Only took me three and a half days cuz I don't haves internets at my dads, where I live. I'm over at My friend Samaru-chan's for a sleepover. She's my eddi!**

**Samaru: Wats up ppl**

**Teirra: *coughs* Retard! *cough* Anyway, How was it, guys? I tried my best to make it not sound rushed or corny, loosely speaking.**

**Ikuto: Total failure.**

**Ame: Whatever. *glares menacingly at Teirra* You made me feel weird when I look at him! I don't just get so lost in peoples' eyes and answer a question like a freakin' blonde!**

**Samaru: I have to agree with Ame-chan on this one, Teirra-chi. I've read chapters **_**beyond**_ **the **_**third movie!**_** Guys, you have no idea how many episodes she has in her head!**

**Teirra: *slaps the mess out of her* UruSAI! Anyway, Yoru did the disclaimer, so Amu can do the ender.**

**Amu: Alright! Please Rate and Review!**


	4. A pet a day doesn't keep the vet away

**Samaru: Hey whats up! Samaru-chi here, filling in for Teirra-chan. She's on the phone with me and asked me to the disclaimer since she doesn't have internet right now and won't have it until her birthday. So, don't get mad at her for this chapter. Anyways, Teirra-chan does not own Shugo Chara or any of its characters except for her Ocs. Sayonara, minna-chan!**

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**Chapter four: A pet a day does not keep the vet away.**

The little shop on the dark corner that Ikuto and Muko took me to has never been there before. I swear to you, it's new to me. The Sign outside said Veterinarian Clinic, and I chuckled mentally. It's fitting, I'll give them that.

Everything inside wasn't like a normal clinic. Everything had some random color that clashed with what was next too it, and it hurt my eyes to really look at it all as one room. I had to break everything down to one or two items at a time before my eyes started to adjust.

"Oi! Yuuta-kun!" Muko cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted down the length of the building, and Ikuto and I waited by the front desk Quietly, if awkwardly on my part. My jaw was throbbing, my heart was beating, face red, bruises everywhere, head bloody…Need I go on? "You'll like this one! You're a fan of hers!"

Moments later, I heard a voice shout back, "EH? You don't mean Hinamori, do you?"

A second after that, a tall girl with short red hair and sharp, but carefree black eyes came bounding around the door behind the desk in the hallway. She wore a white Nurses dress, with high black boots, and I thought she looked rather cute with the red cross over her chest. She had an earring in her left ear that resembled a scary looking crow flying with a chain hooked to its back. In her right hand was the thickest book I'd ever seen in my life, and it was leather bound, like old books, with a strange symbol on it's black cover, like a swirl, but not curved, cut into straight lines.

She smiled a brilliant smile. "It really is." She put the book down on the desk, and grabbed my hand excitedly which made me gasp and cringe. She stopped, face blank for a second as she remembered. "Oh right. You're hurt."

Ikuto sighed. "You have the hyper ness of a squirrel, as always, Yuuta-kun." He released me into her arms and turned away. "While you fix her, see if you can do something about that abnormal heartbeat she has going." He smirked when I flushed scarlet.

She saluted him. "Roger, Ikuto-kun!" She dragged me back down the hall, where even more colors splashed around my eyes, having grabbed the book beforehand. She sat me down in a white chair of one of the examining rooms, and pulled a stool over in front of me. She pulled out black rimmed glasses, and opened the book as they rested on her nose. "Alright, lets see here. So what'd you do?" She asked.

I noticed all of the pages were blank in the book, but she moved her eyes across the pages as if there was something there. Maybe the glasses showed her the words? "I got attacked…by some men…" I shuddered slightly and Mina inspected Yuuta curiously from behind the screen of my hair.

Yuuta giggled. "Sigh, Muko and Ikuto, playing the knights, huh? You have a Shugo Chara no doubt." She went to a drawer of a desk and pulled out some blank forms and a pen, scribbling my name down. "What's her name?"

"Mina!" My chara flew through my hair and floated in front of Yuuta's face. "I'm, Mina."

She smiled. "You're so cute! My gosh, you compare with Yoru." She fluffed up Mina's hair then continued to write. "Did anything…happen?" She looked up at me with her coal eyes.

"No," I murmured, shaking my head. "I'm just beaten and bruised…Ikuto-san and Muko-san stopped them before anything could happen…"

She smiled reassuringly. "You can call them by their first names, or at least with a cuter honorific. They wont mind."

I nodded hesitantly.

"Ok, so, I need you to close you're eyes, Kay?" She Grinned, having found the page she was looking for in her book. "Try and relax. I'm gonna heal you. Don't tell Master, though."

I closed my eyes cautiously, still in a daze. Why were they helping me, someone they didn't even know? What was this place, and why…Why was I being so tolerant? She placed the tip of her fingernail on my chest, and concentrated.

I waited for a good three minutes for something to happen, but nothing changed. I still felt the pain that I felt earlier and wondered what she could be doing.

I heard her gasp. Silently I opened one eye to look at her, and saw that she was increasingly frustrated. She turned on her stool to face the door where the hallway was and called, "Ikuto! Muko! Come."

Moments later they stood in the doorway, curiosity and confusion darkening their expressions. "Nani?"

"I can't get through." Her eyebrows knitted together in light annoyance, as if it was something new to her. "She has something blocking her power."

Ikuto paused for a second, then said, " Mental restrictions?" His lips in a crooked smile. Yuuta nodded. "I'd hurt her going any further."

Muko sighed. "Do it anyway." He threw a worried glance towards Ikuto, who was contemplating silently. Yuuta's face darkened at the thought and hearing how she didn't want to hurt me, but being told to do that anyway was less appealing to me as well. "Wait, what?" I cried, and they turned to look at me. "What am I saying, I don't even know you people."

For a second, I glanced sadness on Ikuto's face, but then I saw his relief, and then he went blank as he growled, "We're being nice, so be thankful."

I refused to stick my tongue out at him, feeling like a child who'd been told to be grateful. (Which had just been accomplished like three seconds ago from you reading this.) I managed to mumble "But I'm confused. You don't know me either, so why help me?"

Yuuta shrugged. "I'm a vet. I heal any animal that comes my way. This is rare for them though, so I don't know about their motives." She eyed them carefully.

Ikuto turned away. "No reason. Now fix her so I can go home."

"You have to stay?" I asked, as he looked at me from the corner of his eye. They were so sharp, so blue and mesmerizing. I thought I only liked Shiro, yet here I was aching for a complete stranger.

"You're the cat we dragged in, right?" Muko laughed, slapping me on a pained shoulder. "We have to drag you out."

Yuuta laid her hands. "I need to fix her before Master gets back, so I do this or I don't." She slammed her hands down onto my shoulders, and I cried out, tortured. She squeezed, and didn't stop in her grip. "Close your eyes, Ame." I heard Ikuto murmur from the door, and I shut them tightly, still subservient to his commands. Ever since his smell entered my body, I haven't been able to oppose his questions or something he tells me, Mina or not.

"This is going to be really painful. Maybe more than what she'll suffer, Ikuto-kun, Muko-kun. Should I keep going?"

Her nails dug into me, trying to keep a hold on my squirming form. "No, stop." I pleaded, wanting her to listen.

But she wasn't listening to me. She didn't want my agonized opinion.

"No. fix her now, Yuuta-kun." Muko replied firmly.

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((Ikuto's PoV))

Even as Muko said that, I felt him searching me. He knew I needed her fixed. He didn't know why, but I was strangely attached to Ame, the girl who had obediently obeyed me since the start. I thought I had myself under control with my emotions, but when her True Aroma filled my lungs--Her intense burning taste of an extremely hot cinnamon stick that smoldered in my chest even now--My True Emotion slipped out. I wasn't feeling the full force of the secret emotion that you don't even know about until you smell the True Aroma of a person, but it was beginning to feel like something I really didn't want right now.

It felt like love.

And right now, it wasn't feeling like some random crush either, but more like a powerful ingrained longing, rooted from the back of my mind, my locked away memories, my hardened heart.

It was _Severe. _My heart was crumbling the corrosion around it, and I didn't want that. Not yet, because mainly…

I was feeling the True Emotion of Passion. I was seriously feeling the severity of intimate love. No, not like that, Idiot.

Ok, just a little like that, but that's not the point.

I want to be close to her, hold her, comfort her in her bloody pain, caress her--spare the drama--pull her to me and just…love her.

For goodness's sake, I'm not supposed to be feeling like this! I'm Tsukiyomi Ikuto, the guy who's shot more girls down that Muko has grinned, which is a big accomplishment. I can't be close to anyone, especially not _her_. Anyone but her would be ok, sorta.

Anyone but her.

So, longing to stop Yuuta, I watched as Ame's face went from simmering agony to twisted anguish as Yuuta forced her own power into her heart and mind and drag her locked away power out to spread among her many wounds. It ripped my heart unthankfully in two as she screamed, asking her to stop, over and over as Yuuta concentrated. Even in binding torture, her voice managed to catch my heart's attention, to create the sound of wind chimes.

This was going to be a long night for me.

After a solid three minutes and twenty-two seconds, which felt like a long night, her voice was lost in her sobs as finally, Yuuta withdrew from her consciousness. Her eyes fluttered open, for a single teary, gold-eyed, moment before her eyes closed and her body went slack in her chair. Her head leaned against her shoulder as she fell asleep, to sleep her strength back. She looked so simple, so young when she slept. So defenseless.

Yuuta shook her hands free of what she'd done, shivering. "Oops. I think I went a bit overboard."

I was this close to snarling at her for causing Ame more pain than necessary, but reminded myself that what I felt wasn't my choice.

"So, what do we do about her?" She whispered softly,

I sighed heavily, and Muko examined me curiously. "It's a pain, but, I'll take her home."

What I really wanted to say was, "I'll take her home, because I care _that_ much and I want to hold her and get close to her while I can to feed this feeling."

Muko brightened up a little. "You know where she lives, stalker-kun?" He teased gently, and I stared him down.

"Muko, she's Hinamori Ame. Everyone knows where she lives." I said, bending down to pick her up bridal style, leaning her in towards me. Mina hid behind her hair, shivering at how her power had been spread around, seeing as how she was part of her heart.

She trembled, as if she knew I was holding her. "Besides, I know my city."

I saw random flickers of her dreams in my mind. They were darkened, and muddled. But she seemed to know she was where she needed to be. More on how I knew this later.

Muko sighed and smiled. "Alright. Let's take her back."

**Twenty-five minutes later, at Ame's house**

My decision had been a bad choice.

I stepped into her clean room and placed her on the bed, shaking slightly when I pulled my arms out from under her. I balled my hands into fists as I took six steps back, flattening myself against the wall.

"Weird reaction." Muko whispered, watching me with his curious brown eyes. "Tell me what's got you uptight." He suggested.

So I did. I told him all about it, because only Muko would understand. I'd explain further, but I don't feel like it right now.

Muko whistled lowly, beaming a wide smile. "Sounds like an imprint of my kind."

(For all of you _Twilight_ fans, where this story's author fits in with, the imprinting thing was really taking place in our world, or at least, Muko's. The imprinting biz was boomin' for Muko's Indian heritage. That's right; his chara is a wolf-dog, sorta. It's _really_ hard to explain.)

"Man I really want to imprint, then I don't have to worry anymore, you know?" Muko continued. "I'm jealous of you now."

"Don't be!" I hissed, "This isn't a good thing. And I'm a cat, not a dog." Yoru nodded from my shoulder. I walked over to the door that led to the rest of her house, and opened it gently. I was planning on slamming the door so her parents would hear it, and just believe she'd come in without them noticing, but that's when I realized I heard footsteps coming up the staircase, a voice calling lightly, "Ame? Are you here?"

Cursing, I shut the door and motioned for him to go out onto the veranda, but he suddenly stopped and pointed.

A car was pulling up the driveway, and the flood light had turned on a the movement of the car. Again, I said something foul.

This was _seriously_ not my day.

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**Samaru: Well, that was interesting. While you guys were reading I was too. Teirra-chan gave me a jumpstart of her Shugo Chara chapters and made me upload it since she is writing Kingdom Hearts, vampire stories, and some other crazy things she came up with. She won't be able to upload herself until the weekend after her birthday so til then. PEACE, PEOPLE!!! **

**Teirra-(on phone) Bye people! Daisuki!! Eight more days till Valentine's Day! Samaru-chi! Stop typing and write more! **

**Samaru- *sigh* Yes, Teirra-chan. R&R, people.**


	5. Humpty Lock!

**Samaru- Sweet!!! New chapter and it is awesome! I love it! Teirra-chan still has no internet so we hope you like it! Teirra-chan does not own Shugo Chara or any of the characters except for her Ocs. Enjoy, minna-chan!**

**Chapter five--Humpty Lock?!**

**//Ikuto's PoV//**

Muko noticed the closet and we darted inside, closing the door just as a younger girl came in, dressed in plaid pajamas of the pink nature, to match her hair obviously. She was about twelve or thirteen, with the same Hinamori Gold eyes, muddled with sleep. Her three charas floated around her head, the pink one still annoyingly hyper, the blue one nodding off slowly, the green one already unconscious, holding onto the blue one.

The girl rubbed her eye, the other glaring a her sister, because obviously, they were related. "Ne, Ame." She started gently, then resorted to slapping her older sibling on the shoulder hard, which made her shoot up with a gasp.

Muko stiffened beside me, and I felt his True Aroma shift. I rounded on him in the closet, eyes narrow. Uh-oh.

Muko's eyes were turning the shade of sick yellow that He normally obtained when Character changing with his chara, but this time, his ears and tail never showed.

The strange colored orbs never left the strawberry girl--because she smells like strawberry, and a bit of tangy after taste-- and was totally fixated on her.

"Amu…?"Ame began slowly, "how did I get here?"

Ame wrinkled her forehead. "What are you, high?" She asked, putting her hand on Ame's forehead like a worried mother. "Or drunk?" I resisted a chuckle.

"Ame! Finally, you're awake!" Her second chara wailed--sparing some major drama--a frowning drama mask on the headband she had holding back her green hair. Her blue eyes Were brimmed with tears, and filled me with this everlasting sadness (not sparing the drama). She hugged Ame tightly around the neck.

Ame rubbed her arm as she sat up. Mina, still sleeping on her chest, rolled to her lap, and was immediately awoken. "None of the above--"

"Amu? Ame? We're home!" I heard a deep, male voice call from somewhere else in the house. Footsteps up the stairs, then her door swung open. "Onee-chan!"

Ame was tackled by yet another younger sister, more around the three year old range. Her brown hair was pulled up into pig tails on the top sides of her head, and her golden Hinamori eyes were large and bright. "Onee-chan, Onee-chan! Work magic for Ami!"

Stiffly, holding Ami up with one arm, she put a finger to her pursed lips and whispered, "Shh. That's a secret, Ami. Maybe tomorrow."

A few moments later, her parents appeared in the doorway. She looked a lot like her mother, with the stature, slim, round hips, firm set jaw, defiant glow in her eyes. Her mom's hair pulled back into a ponytail at the height of her neck.

Her father though, she got her tallness from, her in your face attitude that was always obvious when she was on TV or live, and of course, her striking eyes. He was a big man, with spiked up brown hair, and a bit of a goatee. Pretty handsome, really.

"All three of the sparrows in one room, now that's rare. Much less your room, Ame." her mother eased, and weakly, Ame stuck her tongue out. She was trying her best to hid her rigidity.

"My room is my room. It should stay that way." She argued. "No uninvited visitors allowed." She gave Amu a look, then Ami. I feel a little bit of my conscience tug at me in the back of my mind, but I give it no heed.

"Alright, Ami, Amu, time to go to bed again. It's nine-thirty. You especially, Rockstar." her mom waggled her eyebrow knowingly, and Ame looked away.

"Alright Ami, go back to Mama." She said sternly, putting her three year old on the ground.

"But Onee-chan never did her magic!" She yawned cutely, and I felt my heart melt a little. She was adorable, for a three year old.

"Ami…"She warned. "I don't do magic at night. Especially not for sleepy children who won't be awake long enough to watch it." She lectured.

"Onee-chan!" She whined, but her mama scooped her up.

'Time for bed. Good-night, Ame, Amu." She walked out, and her husband wished them goodnight as well. Amu stayed, closing the door behind them and stared at her older sister as Ame tried to stand, her leg crumpling beneath her. "Ow."

"What'd you do this time?" her sister had not been fooled still. "I swear if you had to fight again--"

"Nothing like that, Amu." She snapped. "I don't need to fight to get rid of preppy blonde chicks. Just hand them a mirror." She joked, and I covered my mouth.((No offense to any blonde's out there--it's just that you're easy to pick on and are good entertainment))

"Then what?!"

They glared at each other for a moment, before Ame turned away. "Nothing that concerns you."

Frustrated, Amu let out a hissed sigh, "Ever since you couldn't sleep you've been the most anti-social sister ever." With a last venomous glare, she stormed out, slamming the door.

Using the bed to stand up again, and with a little bit more experimentation, she moved Mina to her shoulder and quieted her other, murmuring something like, "Karasu, start smiling please, I can't deal with your mood swing right now." Her voice quivered slightly.

I heard her hidden emotions screaming in her head, telling her to go make right with her younger sister Amu, to find out who she was. Was she a good sister? Nope, was her answer. Was she having trouble sleeping lately, and was it affecting her moods, Yes.

But…

Did she know who she was anymore?

With every step a wince, she stopped in front of her body length mirror, and looked at herself for a long time.

And that's when she smashed it.

**\\Ame's PoV\\**

The mirror blossomed into a spider web all across the frame, and I sank to my floor as a few of the shards fell to a _Clt-Clltt._ I stared at the ground, at my bloody hand, at the fragments of shiny glass in the knuckles.

"Ame!" Mina cried, flying from my shoulder unsteadily. "Why'd you--"

"I can't see myself anymore!" I shouted, turning away from her, tears falling silently. "What's the point of a mirror if you can't see yourself?"

"Ame…" Karasu mumbled, looking at me with her sad blue eyes. Her Mood Swing happened whenever I felt turmoil, and she switched back and forth between the Smiling Crow and the Frowning Crow.

"I don't know who I am. The moment I stopped my music, I got lost. I stopped sleeping, I stopped thinking on my own, I grew apart from my closest sister. I have no friends because they can't figure out the true me either, I get jumped by random old men, saved by teenagers who apparently had enough time on their hands to spare on me, and now I've busted my hand. My life's gone downhill."

Mina sighed, thinking.

"Is this okay? For me to be so confused? To not know the true me?" I asked no one in particular. "What do I do now?"

Mina growled slightly, and made me look at her. "Ame-chan! That's what we're here for! We're here for you when you get lost, when you go the wrong way! We bring out your true feelings, and give you the courage to speak your mind! So that's why you should--you should believe in us as your Guardian Characters!"

Her eyes were so red right now, I couldn't help but listen to her, but after a moment they abruptly turned yellow as she turned meek again, "well, um, what I mean is…" She looked for her words.

I felt different now. I felt…more complete than I was before. I was in tune with myself now, and could see what I had to do to get back on my welcome, beaten path. "I understand." I nodded.

Suddenly, my mirror exploded, or something, and I shielded Mina from the glass rain. Karasu ducked behind my shoulder, and I shut my eyes.

Slowly, with increasing hesitation, I slid open my eyes.

And sitting in this almost perfect pile of glass shards was a gold lock, and a cream egg. Even the glass in my hand was gone, the cuts sealed.

The lock was gold and heavy, with a four-leaf clover behind the keyhole, the petals raised up as white diamonds. The pattern was intricate around the leaves and across the bar on top.

The egg was cream, as I said a moment ago, with thorny, golden vines twining around it in a protective manor, white lotuses bleeding through and blooming despite their harsh brothers. I touched the egg gently, and saw that it was warm, and shimmering.

I picked up the lock and inspected it carefully, then my empty mirror frame. "My true self?" I whispered.

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**Samaru- What did I tell you? Awesome, right? Ame has the Humpty Lock and a new chara! That was a touching scene between Ame and Mina. I still can't believe that Muko imprinted Amu. *giant gasp* Please R&R! Bye!!!**


	6. I was suddenly asked out and then

**Samaru- Wow, seventh chapter. Only two weeks till Teirra-chan gets internet back*sigh* Her dad is being reallllllllllllly strict by grounding her from computer for this long. Well, here's the disclaimer. Hana Teirra-chan does not own Shugo Chara or any of its characters except for her OC's. Enjoy, minna-chan.**

**Chapter Six**

That night, after I had settled my newest egg into the pillow on my desk with Mina's and Karasu's, I jumped into the shower.

Which is when my secret closet friends decided to take there leave, but I didn't know about them until later.

When I turned out all my lights and lay my head down on the pillow, I held the glowing form of the lock in my hand, gazing at it until, miraculously, I fell asleep.

I was so content with my sleep, I didn't even wake up on time for school.

**//Ikuto's PoV//**

That night, when she left to take her shower, Muko and I busted out of the closet as fast as our animal instincts could take us. My leap over the wall of her veranda was more flashy than Muko's, but then again, I was a cat and practiced at single handed throw-overs.

Muko landed in the barren tree outside her walls with a thud, then swung himself down to the ground with ease, going the soft route out of the conifer. I simply slipped up the tree trunk, almost feeling like a squirrel for a fleeting moment, and then down a high branch, making it shake when I leaped from the end.

The ground was hard underneath me when I touched the pavement outside her gated home. Muko was bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet, his eyes slowly downgrading from yellow to orange once again. He was excited, and his thoughts were all over Amu, the strawberry girl.

"Ikuto-kun. It's her! That's the girl I--" He began, but I snapped my fingers, and he stopped. That's how I had Muko trained. I snapped my fingers, he shuts up, I say fetch, he goes and retrieves, I say sit, he stops and sits. I hit him with a newspaper, he laughs and bites my hand. Muko was completely obedient to me, and that's how it's been since we were kids.

"I know. You imprinted on her younger sister. I kinda figured that out when you became possessive in your smell." I rolled my eyes.

'Wow, two in one night." he grinned, putting his hands behind his hand and rocking back and forth.

I growled at him viciously, and he flinched when my feline ears shot back and my lip curled over my teeth. "Not good!" I hissed between my teeth, and Yoru cowered on my shoulder.

Muko quivered a little at my expression, and pursed his lips together in thought. "I know we shouldn't drag them into this--Being Easter's playthings, and all-- But, Ikuto, if anyone should understand, you should. I can't stay away from her now! I'm immersed with her now."

I looked at him for another few moments, then clamped my teeth down hard and turned my head. "At least be careful." I turned around to leave. "I'm going home"

A few moments of silence, then, "Wait--Ikuto! What about tonight's original mission, before we dragged ourselves into the Rockstar's story?" he had wanted to ask something else, but I answered his question anyway.

"Oh, you mean find the Humpty Lock? To actually think that we'd find the girl who had it sleeping in her, a one in a million chance, and we did it. Now I guess we have to drag her into our mess, but not her family." I warned.

I continued walking as he thought.

"And to answer your original question, I'm perfectly fine with it."

I'm perfectly fine with distancing myself from Hinamori Ame.

At least, I think I am.

**\\Ame's PoV\\**

I think I'm ready.

I'm ready to go out there and make some friends!

Yeah, I had you going for a moment there, didn't I? I wasn't even ready to get up for school, much less go out there and be a better person. Who do you think I am, Hoshina Utau?!

Well, it's not like she has it any better. I mean, while I was wasting away in my sleepless mental state, she'd hit the number one spot on Billboard's top ten. That ate me up inside, 'cause I absolutely hate this girl.

But, at least she's somewhat sure of who she is. Her charas, well, they never come out, so I'm not sure if they've even hatched yet. So maybe she's all figured out.

I woke up around noon, looked at my clock, then sighed. I was sooooooooo late, so I slipped out of the covers (Still slightly stiff) and dressed in my uniform anyway. I could make it to the beginning of lunch break If I hurried, but I never hurried so I got there around half of that, My new egg in my purse and the gold lock around my neck, I walked into the spacious green grounds of my school.

I was totally yawning when I saw a new face on the grounds.

She was a short girl with dusty red-brown hair that came to her jaw, held back by a headband. She had black-rimmed glasses over large, child-like baby blue eyes, filled with unsuspecting innocence. She had the sweater version of our uniform jacket, with blue edges that ran over the knuckles of small, pale hands. She of course had the fluffy skirt, and it looked good on her with her eyes almost the same color. She had the thigh length stockings, the black shoes, the works, with the occasionally accessory, like the black choker and the promise ring on her right ring finger.

But also, she owned a purse on her side with a force in it that dream Mina's and Karasu's attention to it. 

"Ame! That's Kokoro No Tamago (Egg of Her Heart, I think, so don't kill me)!!" Karasu cried, back to her smiling drama mask.

I looked the girl up and down carefully as she looked innocently around on her first day of school, probably lost. She didn't look frustrated, more like she was about to break down and cry. 

"Ah!" I began to go towards her, but I heard my full name called, and I stopped.

Turning, I saw Anami Shiro running towards me, and immediately my face flushed. He beamed a brilliant smile and sopped in front of me, panting.

"Ohaiyo, Hinamori."

Stuttering, I mumbled a good morning to him too.

"Ne, I didn't have a chance to introduce myself, yesterday. I was busy with other things, but I'm--"

"Anami Shiro. I know who you are." I muttered and he cocked an eyebrow. 

"Good, then this makes this a bit easier." He took both my hands in his and brought them up as he took a step closer. I blushed seeing him up close.

"I'd like it if you'd go out with me."

Blood roared in my ears, as he waited for an answer. "Ah--um, That is…"

He chuckled. "I know this is sudden, but I really need to talk to you about something important." 

At that instant, I saw a flash of pure gold behind his head, in the shape and size of a chara. It was so bright, I couldn't look at it's shifting lights.

But then, it hid behind Shiro's head.

Slowly, I nodded. 

He sighed in relief, "Good. Meet me here later after school, and we can take a walk." He let go of my hands and took a few steps back. "Thanks, Hinamori-san."

As I watched him go, I couldn't help but think, well, Hinamori-san is a start.

"See Ame, I told you good things would happen if you just believe." Mina lectured, swishing her tail back and forth, the bells jingling quietly.

"Karasu Thinks that Ame still needs to go out and find some friends though!" Her endless happiness blistered me to where I had to turn away. No way I was going to pick up on that part of her when I got older.

"Well, that's what I was doing, before Shiro asked…me out." The words felt weird on my tongue, like they weren't supposed to be there. My heart told me that I wasn't supposed to be doing this, with Shiro I mean. I'd been wanting to talk to him for the longest time, and then, boom! He asks me to go on a walk. 

So why did I not want to go? Why did I feel like I was cheating on someone? I turned my eyes to the sky, trying to remember if I'd promised anything recently that might explain this, or if I'd met anyone, or…

I looked back at normal viewing level. Leaning against one of the walls, watching me with his arms crossed in the shadows, was a familiar looking figure whose eyes could just barely be seen glowing their midnight blue.

When he noticed he'd caught my eye, he gave me this devilish smirk that told me he knew more than he was willing to tell me, turned, and walked away.

Something about Tsukyomi Ikuto made my stomach do a back flip with all the flutterbys. He filled me with this inexplicable feeling that made me question myself on a few things.

Like, Why wasn't I going on a walk with him?

**Samaru- That was very good, if I do say so myself, and I do. LOL! My little sis is annoying me so I have to go yell at her. *sigh* Please R&R, People! Teirra-chan and I love you!!! Now where did that evil little imp/midget/monster go? JURRIA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!**


	7. The Embryo

**Chapter 7--The Embryo**

I forgot a lot of the stuff from last chapter when Shiro stood in front of me that afternoon. Snow had begun to fall again, and it's white light intensified his handsomeness to where I had to look down in embarrassment.

He laughed. "I knew you'd be weird, but…" That wasn't pleasing to know that he thinks I'm weird, so I looked up at him. "Thanks for waiting." he smiled, and I smiled back slightly.

"You needed me for something?" I prompted, and he nodded.

"You have Shugo Charas. Mina--" He nodded as my kitty-kat appeared from behind my hair, "And Karasu. You have another egg, right?" He pointed at my purse.

"How do you…?" I trailed off and he shook his head.

"I have a Shugo Chara as well. Korii is his name, but he doesn't like meeting people." He coughed into his hands, his puffs of breath clean and white. "I wanted to know…If you knew about the Embryo…?" He raised an eyebrow, and we walked down the street as we talked.

I gave him a look. "Yeah, the early stage of a baby." I felt like an idiot telling him this, being female.

He grinned. "Not that kind of Embryo. I mean, the Shugo Chara Embryo."

I shook my head. "Nope. What is it?"

He paused in thought. We turned a corner I was familiar to, and he said, "It's an egg that, when Someone owns it, can grant any wish the person asks of it. It's a egg that holds a great deal of hopes and dreams, and is pure white with purity--spare the drama." 

"Oh, so it's a magic egg." I nodded, watching as the entrance to the park I was in only yesterday and five chapters ago. "I bet a lot of people must be after it."

He dipped his head once. "Yes, Including me, and, including a corporation called 'Easter'."

Easter. I've heard of that somewhere. I stopped in front of the gate to think, then snapped when I had it. "That's Hoshina Utau's record company, and the food producer, concert halls, clothing design… They own a lot of stuff." I looked up at him. "Why…would something with everything need an Embryo?"

He shrugged. "Beats me. I only have a problem with their methods of getting the Embryo, and their employees." He simmered, eyes dark as he remembered someone in particular. "They still Heart's eggs from children, and if it's not the Embryo, they smash it."

I retched in my mouth. "That's so…"

"Cruel." He agreed. "That's why it's my ambition to make sure they don't get their hands on it. I wanted to ask you if you would join our cause."

I raised an eyebrow. "Our?"

"Of course, you and I aren't the only ones sickened by Easter's actions."

So he had others to help him too. I turned around and stepped into the park, thinking. This would be a good chance to get to know Shiro better, and I didn't like how Easter was going around destroying dreams, but…I also didn't like how he was using me.

"I don't know…" I murmured. "Let me walk for a little bit more." I turned back o him to see him in the same spot as where I'd left him. "What's wrong?"

He glanced nervously around the landscape. "This park has bad memories for me."

You too, huh? Well, at least you can remember yours.

"But…I want to walk with you still, and this place is where I come to think." I persuaded. 

I really was a master of persuasion. Karasu giggled as Shiro came to stand beside me as we walked again through the green--now dull olive with the season--paths, but the whole time he was watching his back nervously, as if he knew someone was watching him. "He's here." I heard him mumble under his breath, And I had the feeling he was talking to himself. "Oh man, he's going to be--"

"Pissed off, White-tan?" I heard a familiar deep voice call from a certain veranda. "I'm actually happy for you coming with her, rather than being angry at you for invading my territory."

I whirled in that direction, almost identically to Shiro. 

Ikuto stood there, Muko by his side on the ground, leg propped up, hiding half of his face by his hand on his knee. Ikuto's arms were crossed, his smile crooked, eyes narrow with amusement, foot tapping. His black tail twitched behind him, black cat ears forward in interest.

"Tsukiyomi Ikuto!" Shiro looked mad, and his hand was traced with the gold light Korii had shown when'd first glimpsed him. "What are you--"

"Planning?" He finished the sentence right on time, and I had this creepy feeling as if I was being watched by something other than the people around me. "I'm planning on taking her to Easter."

Shiro froze, then took a step in front of me. "Not a--" 

"Chance, Right." Ikuto looked like he'd heard this one before, and he was used to it. Was he really good at guessing, or was he really hearing Shiro's--

"Thoughts, Ame?" Ikuto smirked.

I swallowed hard. "How are you--" 

"Doing this? It's really complicated, but I'll tell you when we get to Easter." He took a few graceful steps down, hands in his pockets. Yoru swung from his shoulder, and gave an involuntary hiss at Mina, who had changed to her offensive stage. Her red eyes went full on burgundy, and she character changed me, seething, "We'll fight this time if we have to."

Her rashness has always gotten me into trouble before. It was no different when Ikuto somehow had slipped around Shiro, grabbed my wrist and yanked it high above my head. It strained my shoulder, and when I tried to grab his hand with my free one, He grabbed that, too. "Oh really, Ame? Is that what happens a lot?" He looked at me with those deep eyes, and I froze.

I vaguely recognized the fact that Muko was arm locking Shiro.

"Are you…" I paused to see if he would finish the sentence, but he just raised an eyebrow. His smell arched into me, and my tongue curled in my mouth. "Are you apart of Easter, Ikuto-kun?"

"Hinamori-san! When did you meet him?" Shiro asked, desperately trying to break free of Muko's vice grip. "Get off of me, Muko!" he snarled.

Muko did no such thing, only shrugged. "No can do. Ikuto told me to do this, so I can't not do it."

Ikuto smile softened slightly, and silence fell on the empty clearing.

**//Ikuto's PoV//**

I smiled slightly at her worried expression, her thoughts cascading around in my mind. She wanted to trust me, after what had happened yesterday, but with what Shiro had told her, there was nothing she could do to change the fact that it would be hard for me and her to get along.

"Yes, I am." As sad as that truth was. Dismay crept into her eyes, and she whimpered slightly under her breath. "That doesn't mean we can' get along though."

She had doubts. "Bu you're taking me to Easter right? I don't…" She inhaled me again, and got a little lost. This was amusing. "…want that."

Of course. She wasn't the only one having Aroma withdrawals. Her scent was intoxicating, and I didn't want to harm her. Even thinking about handing her over to Easter sickened me.

I had a choice to make. See, I hadn't reported that I'd found the Humpty lock yet, Which means so far, they had no idea about Ame and her item of interest. But to help _my_ cause, I needed Easter to continue thinking I was still on their side, so I didn't get the Doll…

Which was more important? The Under--my cause--or Ame, the one I was obligated to love secretly?

It's true that Under was a really big important block in _Easter's_ plans, and that's who I was spying for, but…_ Ame was seriously smelling good here._

I sighed and put her down, letting her rub her wrists. I snapped my fingers, and Muko let go of Shiro. "Muko, no one at Easter is to know about the Humpty lock or Ame, understand?"

He barked once.

Both Shiro and Ame were startled. "What? Humpy lock? You mean she has that kind of magic?" Shiro shrieked. 

Ame was more like--

Her eyes narrowed. "How do you know about that? I haven't had it out all day, and I haven't--"

"Thought about it recently, I know. I was in you're closet."

Her eyes widened. And to shake the feeling of knowing I'd heard everything that happened last night, she tried a crack in her head to throw her mind off.

I already went ahead and laughed. "What a strong masquerade you hide behind." I murmured.

"So, how'd it feel to come out of the closet?" 


	8. Get back into the rhythm

**Teirra: Hi, guys. I just realized, I can talk to you guys from within the confines of my anti-internet room. ^^; just remembered it was only being uploaded, and I can just write it instead of Samaru. **

**Ikuto: *Rolls eyes* way to go, genius. And why do I have to be called gay? I'm not gay. Why? **

**Ame: Because, idiot. People like that kind of crap. And don't go hiding in my closet again.**

**Muko: I was in the closet too.^^**

**Ikuto: *slaps Muko* Shuddup.**

**Muko: Ite!**

**Amu: anyway, Teirra wanted to point out that the last chapter wasn't edited the right way, so ignore some repetitive parts like, Pure white with Purity, or "What a masquerade you hide behind." And, Teirra also left out the fact that Karasu has a drama mask that swaps back and forth with her mood swing on her headband. When she's sad she has a notebook, and when she's happy, a drawing pad. **

**Teirra: So, you guys all know the drill, I don't own anything but my own concept, so chill it. And, thx for all the good reviews. I still get to read my e-mails when I ask, so I can reply most of the time. Love you bunches!**

**Chapter 8--Get back into the rhythm**

**\\Ame's PoV\\**

I chewed the eraser of my pencil, sitting at my desk in my room. I had a million and one things running through my head as I stared at my blank piece of paper.

I sighed, leaning back and running my hands through my hair.

Why had Ikuto changed his mind? If he was apart of Easter, then wasn't he supposed to do what he's told? Evidently, he'd been assigned to take me into custody, But he'd decided not to. Why? Why, why, why, why, why?

Shiro played out in my mind too. He'd shown obvious distaste for Ikuto, so that led me to believe that Ikuto has done some things that Shiro isn't too ecstatic about. And that probably means I won't be too blissful about it either.

The thing that was watching me earlier yesterday, well, it's still watching me today. I was getting really nervous with it always around, somewhere hidden in the shadows. It's almost as if it were in my room with me, above my TV screen…

I glanced at my closet and narrowed my eyes. He'd heard every word I'd said. He knew me now on the inside. Ikuto could see me (Muko too, but I didn't care) now. Was he laughing right now as he reminisced back on two nights ago? Or was he contemplating on why? I didn't know. Ikuto, well, he was a mysterious person. Someone I couldn't figure out.

But gorgeous. Definitely gorgeous.

I grabbed the Humpty lock, as he'd called it, and held it away from my chest to examine it. What kind of Power was Shiro so upset about? Nothing I was capable of, surely.

But, if it's a lock, does it have a key?

So, I returned to the paper on my desk, feeling a vein popping in my forehead as I ignored the thing watching me, and the soft snores of Mina and Karasu, who were still asleep. It was about eight in the morning right now, and I hadn't slept all night as usual, so this was understandable.

I had to write a song, had to get back into the rhythm. I had to get something so freakin' awesome, it blew Utau out of the water and back onto land, where reality waited for her; That I was better.

But, like they always say, when a girl's not talking, a million things are running through her mind.

I shook my head vigorously. "C'mon, Ame! Think, think! You think you can, you think--wait, no, you _know_ you can!" I growled, put the tip of my pencil to the paper.

My hand didn't move a millimeter.

"Ame, why don't you write about something that relates to what you're going through." Mina's voice startled me, and she pounced down onto the corner of the white paper. "I'll help you out this time, instead of Karasu." She said eagerly, and those big yellow cat eyes got the better of me for a moment.

"Sorry Mina, but you're only good for a caterwaul." I teased, and flicked her nose.

"I didn't mean like that. Here, let me show you." She flew up in my face and closed my eyes with her paws. "Imagine the outline of your body. Just the contour, noting else."

I sighed, but obeyed. I envisioned my body's silhouette, outlined in a glowing white line on a blue-black background.

"Alright, now, focus on your heart. In the center of your chest, what do you see?"

I saw nothing. Nada, zip, zero, zilch. It was like I was looking in the wrong place, or I didn't have a heart at all. "I don't see anything…" I murmured uneasily.

Maybe it's been so long since I've actually used my heart, that I forgot there was one at all. But, that can't be right; Mina was right there in front of me, forcing me to do this.

"Sorta. You have to remember, Ame-chan, that my special skill is finding something that got lost. Now, what did you feel when you got the Humpty Lock that night?"

"I felt warm, because you'd inspired me to get back on track again."

"Remember that feeling. What do you see now?"

"Jeez, Doctor Phil, is this a therapy session?"

"Just do it."

I did. I cross-referenced the empty shell of my body, with that warm, fuzzy, almost complete feeling, and felt astonishment run through me.

A light was growing there, small and insignificant, but definitely something to notice. "Mina, I see something."

"Let's keep going, then!" She purred happily, the chirp amusing me. " What emotions have you recently felt. Maybe a certain someone…" She nudged me playfully. She probably meant Shiro, what with him asking me out and all, but…

My mind took a left turn toward Ikuto (left because I'm left handed. Just wanted to throw that out there). I blushed copiously, and groaned as I felt his scent come back from the pit of my mind. "I've been trying so hard to forget that smell!"

But it was doing something to the white light in my chest. It was like a sleeping monster had just been awakened, curling out, and branching off into different flickers of red-tinged light. It was stretching and yawning, waking up the 'me' inside.

Was Ikuto really waking me up like that? I mean, I started to realize this feeling immediately after I'd met him, but there was no relation of him to my mental state of mind at that time.

Wait a minute! Wake me up…

I snapped my eyes open with a grin. "Got it Mina. Thank you!"

My pencil scratched across the paper for a few hours after that.

//**Ikuto PoV//**

I couldn't believe I did that.

Here I was, standing in front of the man I hated most--the one I wanted to put through so much agonizing pain and torture, I wanted him to _live._ If only for the sake of me ripping his heart out of his chest and watching him bleed to death as I snapped the chords. I wanted to throw him in Hell myself when the time came, even if I was going too. I'd live in hell, if I could watch him suffering the same thing.

Kuzuomi stared me down with his hard, unflinching black gaze, and I stared just as hard back. "Ikuto, you must explain why you didn't report to me about how Hinamori-san has obtained the Humpty Lock into her possession."

I should have known that he would have someone watching me, to make sure I was obeying orders. I wasn't exactly the employee of the month, nor a role model in obedience. And now, he knew about Ame all the same, and it was my fault.

Nonchalantly, I turned my head to the side to not look at him, and flicked my black ears back. "No reason. It was seemingly uninteresting to me at the time." I wasn't lying. It had been in my 'Least favorite things to do right now' list.

"I don't care if it was interesting to you or not. I'm the boss, you're the worker. Get that straight, alley-cat." He snarled, and I turned to look at him again, mouth fighting a snarl myself. "Besides, I can see right through you, Ikuto. You wanted to protect her."

I stayed blank, and his smile deepened cruelly.

"Did you happen to fall in love with her? Like Muko did her little sister?" He must have had someone around when we were talking in the street! Annoyance turned to anger as I feared for Ame and her family. He now had house residence, and if he followed us to Yuuta's, medical records, family, information, and my personal business. That was eating away at me like battery acid. He knew something more about me. I swore in my head.

"So, you wanted to keep her to yourself, is it? Isn't that a little selfish?" He examined a picture of Ame, snapped sometime yesterday. Her face was an innocent expression, doubt, hurt, and confusion all there in those Hinamori Eyes. "What a pretty girl, certainly capable being of use for Easter…"He was saying something more than that, but I blocked him out as I observed her eyes for a moment longer.

Something wasn't right, down in those gold depths. It wasn't that there was something particularly striking about them, just something that set me off, nagging at some piece of information that didn't make sense.

Why…was there red in her eyes? Not like when Mina gets angry and Makes Ame angry, but actually, in a soft, almost unrecognizable form. It was like a painter had taken his thinnest brush and dipped it in crimson, dragging it at a diagonal slope across her iris, pupil, and iris again.

Now that I look at it clearly now, her pupils weren't completely black either. They were the darkest, decipherable gray there was, but definitely not black.

I realized what it was, and stifled a gasp of horror.

No way, no way, no way! That's not possible. Why didn't I see it sooner?

"Ikuto, are you even listening?" I heard him snap at me, and I looked up immediately. "If you don't go and arrange her meeting with us--" By which, he meant kidnap her, "--I'll be forced to give you the Doll--."

But I was already out the door.

**Teirra: So, How was it? Good, bad? Gray? I had fun writing this one, definitely. **

**Ame: What's different about my eyes? *checks out mirror* No flippin' way! That's so cool! Why haven't I noticed before?**

**Ikuto: It won't be awesome later--**

**Teirra: *glomps him* Nooooooooo!!! Don't give it away! It's a secret!!!**

**Muko: What are you two doing on the floor? I thought Ikuto was with Ame and Amu?**

**Ame and Amu: *death glares***

**Teirra: Uh…He started it. Anyway. I just want to go ahead and say it, if anyone out there reading this story ever needs to ask me a question, please email it to me instead pf PMing, cuz I hate having to open a new internet box every freaking time I reply. And e-mail's more fun. (my email is full of Ladireckless' PM. ^~^; Haven't deleted em yet.)**

**Oh, and if you went to winter jam in B'ham AL, ((Aisle 20, 21, Baby!)) hit me up, cuz I went too. It was awesome, and has inspired me greatly in this story. You can definitely expect Ame in concert. **

**Remember, Spare the drama!**


	9. What Test is this that you speaketh of!

**Teirra: M'kay. I'm writing right now in the middle of the day. I got really sick before the Winter Jam concert, and it got worse over the weekend, so I stayed home on Monday (Today). It's all cool, though, cuz I'm getting better. ^^**

**Ame: ****ØØ**** Are you faking it?**

**Teirra: Nope. **

***Nari walks in from Teirra's Black Cat story (not her Kingdom Hearts Nari)***

**Nari :She's totally faking it.**

**Teirra: So Cruel! Go back to Train, Phoenix!**

**Nari:****ØØ**

**Ame: Hey, where'd Ikuto go?**

**Nari: She made him go get her an aspirin.**

**Ame: How do you know that?**

**Nari: Psychic. Anyway, Teirra doesn't own anything about Shugo Chara (except for this itty bitty key chain of Ikuto Samaru's supposed to be getting her for her birthday off of Ebay.) Yada, yada, yada…**

**//Ikuto's PoV//**

"That's what I'm trying to say, Yuuta-kun, it's impossible! There are no other guy in this city with a cat chara, much less with red eyes!" I hissed into the phone receiver. It'd been two days since I'd rushed out of my step-father's office. I had been trying my best to keep myself away from everyone of Easter, including Muko, so they didn't catch on to my anxiety. I was already probably getting the Doll as soon as I went back, and that would be insanely bad. So bad, I'd probably have to go ahead and take precautions to keep the Under safe.

"But, Ikuto-kun! It's unprecedented! Never has that once happened before, at least, not recorded! I'm checking out my book right now, and it's saying, 'Sorry, illness does not match database.' And my book never lies!" She growled, flustered. "The only thing I can think of is to check with Master's book, and see if he knows anything, but I wont get that thing for another three months. By that time, she'll… well, I don't know what will happen. I say, you go ahead and get it over with!" She huffed, and I felt her put her head down on a table.

"What if I make it worse?" I said darkly, keeping my voice low incase someone heard. My step-father probably had someone watching, and Yoru was outside the pay-phone in the cold, just to make sure if he did. "You've heard the stories of when that happens--it's everyday life for female cat Chara owners. It happens, then they move on. But seeing how we don't know what to do, She could be killing herself from the inside out. And if I did _that _I could really kill her."

"Or you could be blocking it out, and could just make her go through that everyday process." I began to argue once more, but she cut me off. "Look, just go ask her if she's seeing anyone other than you who's a cat guy, okay? This could all be a misunderstanding." She said reasonably. "In the meantime, I'll inform Teirra that you might be Dolled. She won't like it, but…It's necessary." She whispered.

I closed my eyes. And I won't like it either. Teirra's method's of shutting someone up about the Under were…how do you say this?…'head-splittingly' torturous.

I grinned, despite myself, for my good choice of words, then quickly let it drop. "Alright, be careful. If Easter comes around you, let me know."

Weakly, she murmured, "Roger, Ikuto-kun." And hung up.

I put the phone back in it's holder, then stepped out into the frigid air, seeing that the snow had completely covered the sidewalk of the streets of my city. I was skipping school right now. Muko had called me earlier to reprimand me, but it was only to say that Ame hadn't shown up either. Apparently, she was extremely busy at her recording studio, jumping up and down with excitement as she'd persuaded her mom to let her go work again, as long as she kept on with school.

How did Muko know about that? Well, he'd 'accidentally' stumbled upon Amu, her younger sister, this morning, and had gotten positive signals from her.

From what he'd expressed, I think she was purely infatuated with him, to his pleasure.

Anami Shiro was grumbling. He wasn't happy that I knew about Ame. He had been hoping that he'd get to her first, or that I'd never even know her name, for that matter. He definitely saw her as a valuable resource, but anything further, well… it's hard to tell right now…

I shook my head, glancing in the window of a shop. My own reflection stared back at me, framed by the white glow of the streets. Really now, how could this awe-inspiring male model have come up as second place in popularity with White-tan? I chuckled slightly, and put my hands in my pockets.

Body hugging jeans, but not skater jeans-tight, black in color with the faintest gray highlights where they'd been faded out from use. They looked soft over toned muscles, and I couldn't help but wonder where I'd had the time to actually acquire them. Narrowed hips, Nice chest and abs, hidden by my black button up shirt that was partially buttoned on the top, and one button loosed on the bottom. You could almost call the color navy blue when the light hit it right. A black jacket was being tugged gently by the wind, ruffling the white fur on the hood, that completely hid my face.

My face was pale, with the hint of weariness in the sheen of my flawless skin, framed by my dark sapphire colored hair. My eyes were endlessly black right now, and I couldn't help but growl. Why did they have to be so flippin' dark?

Yoru startled me out of my reserved observation. "We got a tail. He's the Easter guy that hangs around the second floor laboratory."

I racked my brain for a name. "Kurega. He's slow, so we're good for now, but just in case, we'll take the express lane. We're going to Ame's."

Yoru grinned on my shoulder. He loved the express lane. "We're taking the Subway?"

I sighed. I on the other hand, did not like the Subway. Too crowded, and it felt like I was in a box. But, because it was unlike me to do so, and it was really fast, it might just shake Kurega.

"Yes, Yoru. We're taking the Subway."

**\\Ame's PoV\\**

I heard my stomach growling. I was hungry, but I didn't dare stop myself from taking my nap, because I was so dead-beat tired, I couldn't help it, so I graciously fell into the soft fluffy comforter of my bed. I wanted nothing more than to lay here for the rest of eternity and just _sleep_.

Mina slept on my pillow as I brought the covers up over my head, and Karasu was busy working on designing my outfit for a talk show I was going on tomorrow. My manager, Steven, just frowned at me when I came back, then sighed and took my music sheets this morning. I didn't mind. We all knew he was happy on the inside. That's just who Steven was.

And whatever had been following me around for the past five days followed me wherever I went in the city. That creepy feeling only left me when I was in the restroom. Which, I'm glad of.

But it didn't bother when I changed clothes. In fact, I think it pays more attention then than it ever does.

yawned, I pulled my hair out of the pony tail I'd elaborately put it in, so it came out in a tangled mess. I yanked it out from behind my neck and smoothed it out by straightening it with my fingers.

I was _this_ close to sleep when I heard a light tap on my veranda glass door.

Before I could feel confused, Karasu cried gleefully, "I'll get it!" And unlocked the door. Here we go.

I pulled my head out of the bed and, upon smelling who it was, I groaned and sank back down. "Oh, no."

The scent was seriously infuriating. I hated the fact that all my will to rebel against him was immediately squashed under a fiery reign of vanilla, honey, and lilac.

"Don't be too excited." Ikuto said sarcastically. "You might have a heart attack."

I sat up and leaned against my wall at my back, propping the pillow up--knocking Mina off in the process, with a yowl of protest from her part--to lessen the strain on my back. "Why are you here?" I accused. Karasu blissfully examined Ikuto with curious green eyes, the artist in her obviously impressed by his handsomeness, if somewhat frustrated. I would be too, if I had to draw him; that face would drive anyone crazy who tried to get it just perfect. Nothing could compare to the real thing.

" I came to see how your eyes are doing."

My eyebrows came together in a bewildered frown. "My eyes? They're just fine. Why?"

With a bored expression he came and stood by my bed. He flipped his hood off his head, and dusted the snow off of him. Yoru took a flying leap at Mina, who snarled, and they rolled off my bed to scuffle under it.

With a unflinching black gaze, and with no apparent second thought, he sat down beside me, grabbed my face under my chin with one of his hands, the other on the side of my face, and tilted my head upward. "Hold still." He murmured, and I stopped struggling. I gave up trying to fight his Aroma, realizing that it got as much use as trying to cross the ocean without a boat.

His face was dangerously within my blushing range, and rightfully, so, I turned red. I only saw the black of his eyes, saw distant stars within them, and that was it. I couldn't help it, but I was falling for Ikuto more and more with every little thing he did. Shiro was a receding wave on the beach of my crushes.

"I'm going to test something. Depending on how you react determines…what I do next." he sounded slightly unsure, as if he was still deciding whether or not to do the test.

What am I, a magic eight ball?

He heard my inner thought, and grinned devilishly, perfect white teeth gleaming with mischief. "Maybe I _should _shake you up." he murmured, and slipped an arm around my waist to begin his joke. He pulled me to him, and I felt his hand running up and down my back, _inside_ my shirt.

So perverted!

His smirk deepened. "You really are my open book, you know that?"

I tried to hold up my hands, but realized I wasn't moving, so I said, "Wait a minute. First tell me how you're hearing my thoughts!" I was definitely perturbed, so I was doing my best to stall him. Whatever he planned on doing, it was along the lines of 'shaking me up'. Uh-oh.

He cocked his head to the side, smile beaming as he narrowed his eyes playfully. "Oh, that? It would be easier to show you than to tell you." He murmured secretively, tracing the curve of my lips gently with the tip of his fingernail. My heart sped up, big-time. "I'll show you…after I've completely surrendered your fighting chance…" he said seductively with his deep, rich voice.

He was making the simplest motions on my back, completely fulfilling the last thing he said--though he'd already done that earlier, only now, he was doing it a lot sexier. It was easy to tell that he was removing my shirt. I had a tank-top underneath (which he didn't move, thank goodness), because my top shirt was white and see-through.

As soon as my heart began to race, as soon as Ikuto flipped the switch in me to turn the lights on and wake the monster, filling my chest with that tingly, warm sensation, my vision faltered, turning everything a shade grayer. Duller color, almost as if a blanket of fog had covered my eyes.

But it disappeared when my heart calmed down.

Ikuto frowned, eyeing me curiously.

And then, we began his test.

**Teirra: Mmm…Kay. Next chapter is gonna be fun to write! I can feel it in my bones! Woot, go Writers!**

***Nari (The one from her Kingdom Hearts story) Pushes the other Nari out of her seat***

**KH Nari: My seat. It's next to Ikuto.**

**(Teirra: when did you get here?)**

**BC Nari; Uh, excuse me? *Pushes her back* I don't think so. Don't you have to go back to Riku now? He's awfully lonely back on your island.**

**(Teirra: Guys! Stop it! You're scaring people!)**

**KH Nari: Oh yeah, well, what about Train, huh? Don't you have to be there when he gallantly swoops in to save you? Huh? He can't do that if you're here.**

***sparks are definitely flying* **

**Ikuto: *Sweat dropping* uh… I got to go now. *leaves as stealthily as possible***

**Teirra: Okays, people! Let's R&R (No, not Rest and Relax, cuz if you're doing that, who will Rate and Review?) I can take some OC's and some filler suggestions, if that's cool with you! And, I'm not entirely sure on how long it'll be to end this story. Definitely past 25 chapters, that much is (possibly) certain It could be a whole lot longer, depends on how many wont be bored with it by then. **

**And, what is Ikuto thinking in that last sentence?**

**Ikuto: Wait, what am I thinking? *raises Eyebrows***

***Ame, who was looking over next chapter's script, tosses it to him* : Read the script.**

**Ikuto: …You're kidding me!**

**Teirra: read the next chapter to find out! (Script is subject to not be what you're all thinking!!)**


	10. Ripping

**Teirra: seeing as how I'm at home without internet, I'm going to hope you all reviewed, and that they were good. **

**Riku: So far you've only gotten good reviews. That's good, Right?**

**Teirra; Well, yeah, I guess. I mean, if I really have a horrible part, I don't want people to old back their tongues. I want to be criticized! Woot!**

**Riku:****ØØ**** Freak.**

***Axel Randomly glomps Teirra***

**Axel: I missed you so much! You haven't written about me in so long, I was beginning to think you abandoned me! Nooooooooo! Where's the fiery love?!**

**Teirra: Never!--Huggles-- Axel will always be my favorite game character. I banish thee, Riku (Sorta)! Speaking of favorites, where did my Shugo Chara guys go?**

**Riku: -sigh- Nari scared them off.**

**Axel: ha!-points finger- I told you she'd leave you!**

***Sora pops up***

**Sora: Kk, Teirra doesn't own any Shugo chara, except for the fanficiton on the space ****ß**** (Btw, that's a Down Arrow, incase it doesn't show up right, cuz the other day my symbols didn't turn out like the symbols they were supposed to be)**

**Chapter Ten--Ripping**

**//Ikuto's PoV//**

I was seriously pressing my luck button when I had Ame mesmerized with me, especially when I had her shirt off of her. Her Tank-top was a dark gray color, so nothing could show through directly. I chuckled. She was a fan of polka-dotted bras.

But, I had to be extremely careful when doing my test. I could forget the whole purpose of coming here. Her eyes were slowly making the red streaks darker and more noticeable, as her heart beat began to speed up once more, and that was just barely snapping me back into reality whenever I felt my fingers twitch in a direction she would slap me for, scent or no scent.

She really was a pretty girl, despite the dark titian across her cheeks. She gasped when I pulled her closer than what she already was, brushing the covers of her bed back as she came up on her knees. She only towered over me for a moment before I stood up, avoiding stepping on the pair fighting on the floor. I hoped that wasn't how me and her would end up, but those were our true selves down her, so…

I heard her confused thoughts as she, too, tried to keep her emotions in check, miserably failing at it. I had a lot more practice at this.

Then I asked her a question I desperately hoped she answered 'yes' to.

"Ame, are you seeing another boy around here? Maybe one with a cat chara, like Yoru?" I had no idea the effect my voice had on her until she made a mental note of it in her head. This was _dastardly_ amusing.

She shook her head, watching as I smoothed out the kinks in her silver-white hair. "You're the first and only guy I've met with a cat Chara." Her voice shook, and she was definitely feeling intimate. BAD.

I hissed a swear, and she winced. "Is that bad?"

Was that…a whimper? I dove into her thoughts, and quickly realized that my smell to her was viewing me as if I was a tomcat, which in a way, I was, but, that's not the point. By this, I mean that the reason she was so submissive was due to the fact that the cat in her knew that I could show her exactly what it meant to be angry, and in a cat's world that meant, well…Use your imagination.

She had no choice but to fear me. Fear for her life, really, spare the drama.

Which was Bad, and Good.

Bad, because that was making my heart cry out to her, and I couldn't say one word of comfort, lest she starts getting any more attached to me than she already was.

Good, 'cause then, if it gets bad enough and I have too, I can send her away and she can't meddle into my affairs. That would keep her safe when I couldn't.

I shook my head to get back on track. "We officially have a problem. Now to test my theory…"

On the way here, I had tried to figure out the most logical reason for this. And I had used the facts of the everyday process as my guide.

So, as I began to move my hand in what was her idea as strangely electrifying, I explained my worries.

"Ame. I need you to listen very carefully, okay?" she nodded, taking a gasp of breath as my fingers ran across a sensitive part on the back of her neck. I watched as her eyes faded back and forth between red streaks, and gold, with her pounding heart. I was being cautious not to fully make her eyes Rip. When this thing happens, we call it Ripping Eyes, because it's like her eyes were being slashed open by claws in a diagonal fashion of three separate streams of color.

"I only ask if you're seeing somebody, so I can blame your illness on them." I informed her as her eyebrows came down in a frown. She had it figured out now, why she was having her eyes shift color and whatnot. It was her _heartbeat_. "Mina probably doesn't know if you haven't been informed yet."

"Doesn't know what? Can you stop now, because my eyes are starting to hurt now, and I want to stand up…" As she asked her voice got quieter. She'd been afraid to ask. It seemed I was apparently too close to her for her to defy my Aroma on that low of a level of request.

I stopped and pulled away from her. She stood up, tugging her shirt back on, flustered. She huffed and stared at the ground for a moment, before putting her hands behind her back and looking back up at me.

Her eyes were now a light gray on the pupil, irreversible for now. The red was more visible now, and humans will begin to notice it. She bit her lip, puzzled. What a cute expression.

"I came here, to find out why your eyes were Ripping. Go ahead, look in your mirror." I motioned to the one on her vanity, since she hadn't gotten her full body one replaced.

She gasped, covering her mouth with both hands in surprise. "Is that what you were doing? Making my eyes like that?"

"Actually, you were doing it to yourself. I was only nudging it in the right direction." She turned on me, eyes blazing defiantly, and she opened her mouth to say a retort, but she clearly thought better of it when she took a hit of my scent again. Instead, she asked softly, "What is it doing to me?"

I huffed for a moment, standing across from her, a good four feet away from each other. The only light came from a solitary yellow lamp on her desk, and the silvery light behind me from the frosted glass door. It was setting a gloomy mood. "That's what I want to know. How is your sight now?"

She looked down. "I don't know how to explain it."

She didn't have to. I could see it just perfectly in my mind. It was like she was looking through a glass of milk, with only a few glimmers of what was in front of her. Right now, the milk wasn't very thick, but in a few days time, it will get worse.

I told her that, and she began to hold back tears. Her hands went to her chest in an elegant way, And I glimpsed the tears at the corners of her eyes, "But--there's got to be some explanation, some reason or cure, right?" Her voice got thick when I didn't answer right away. "Right?'

I stayed silent for a moment longer. "I don't understand it either." I held out my hand to her, motioning for her to come to me, to reassure her that maybe I could ease her discomfort in some form or fashion. Hesitantly, she took it, and we sat down on her bed. She leaned into me freely this time, and I put my arm around her shoulders.

I was definitely breaking my own rules. She'll get more attached if I keep this up!

But, I couldn't help it. I can't fight what she was making me do. I had to hold her, had to help her.

"I should probably explain now. Examples, examples…"I murmured, not looking at her as I tried to think of something that would help with this. The only thing I could think of to use would be…me and her. I sighed. "Say, if you were as healthy as ever, and me and you were going out--"She stiffened, and her heartbeat went up again. She forced herself to calm down before her sight got any worse, "Chill out, Ame. It's only an example."

"Example, Right." She told herself.

I continued. "The first time I kiss you in that stage of dating, your eyes would immediately begin to Rip. The next morning, you'd be completely blind. But here you are, slowly progressing towards that state. Without me." She didn't say anything, only played my words over in her head. "The red part of your eyes, well, that would be blue, because my eyes are blue." She thought that made a bit of sense.

"And this only works for cat Chara owners?"

"Only. If you'd dated someone else, you'd be perfectly fine, but once you go through the Ripping, you and the guy who did it to you are stuck together for life, unlike the relationships of real cats." She chuckled slightly, not really into the mood for jokes. " This is because guys like me were born with two sets of power, my own full set of strength that helped me to go about my daily life, and the second set which is supposed to be Ripped to the cat chara owner…I fall in love with." I hope she didn't hear that pause. "Because girls like you weren't born with a set of power of your own. It's sorta imperative that you do get Ripped. But, there's more than just the blindness that worries me."

She groaned. "What more could there be?"

"Nausea, morning sickness, dizziness, passing out, coughing fits, muscle spasms. Constantly."

"How do they go through all of that?!" She cried out, mortified by what she probably had coming for her. I didn't know, since no one has ever Ripped by themselves.

"The Blindness only lasts about two weeks, and the symptoms even less. Then, the rest of their life is normal." I said, and she looked up at me again, and I couldn't help but look back. "You mean, I might be able to get my sight back?"

"'Might' being the key word here, yes." I nodded, and saw the glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"But how am I Ripping, without someone else?" She inquired, grabbing hold of my hand tightly.

I thought about it. "I think, you're doing it to yourself. Since you're supposed to be taking someone else's power, and yet, your not, you must be taking it from yourself, hence Ripping."

Suddenly, I turned to her and took her face in my hands, gently wiping the tears away from her cheeks. I could see her trying to make me out clearer than what she was, focusing and unfocusing like a camera lens. Her heart made no sudden jerk, as much as it wanted to.

"Ame, Yuuta told me that maybe I should try to block out what it is doing this to you. She doesn't really know what you're going through either, but she says it's worth a shot to try. I'm against it, but…It's your choice. I could add on to your symptoms, or they could completely be wiped away. I'll do it if you say you want me to." I said this slowly, so maybe she'll think carefully about it.

She didn't know what I meant by that. She wasn't piecing it together. And another thing was bothering her. "Ikuto, I met you, what four nights ago. You hardly know me, I hardly know you, and yet you help me when I least expect it. When did we become such good friends for you to do so much for me?"

"Right now, that's when. From now on, you and I are friends, alright? Even though it would be better if we weren't friends, doesn't mean I don't want to be." I said it before I meant to. I had really wanted to think over it before I answered. And there I went, shooting off what was really on my mind at the moment.

But what I'd said just made her feel all the more reassured. "Then, help me out, because I want to be your friend too." She smiled sheepishly, as if asking for help was the last thing she needed to do, but wanted to do so badly.

I put my forehead against hers for a moment, listening silently as the snow outside melted to rain. What was I doing? Mentally preparing myself for this?

Hell yeah.

I leaned back to see her again, saw how deep her eyes were, how different they were now that the red had come through. She bit her lip for a nervous moment, before I murmured. "Be still."

For another moment, all that could be heard in the room was our breathing and the rain on her windows. Even Yoru and Mina had stopped to watch and listen, and Karasu was finished with her design, so she was observing silently too.

Then, as tenderly as I was capable, which in her opinion was accomplished, I pulled her face to mine, pressing my lips to hers gently.

**Teirra: I think it's a great spot to stop, don't you agree? M'Kay. I like cliffhangers. They fill me with everlasting joy and--**

**--Flying Axel Glomp!!--**

**Teirra: Ah!**

**Axel: Write about me next time!! I haven't had any action with Nari in like, three months! TT**

**Riku: for everyone who obviously hasn't read her OCS of Kingdom Hearts, her main character Nari is a girl torn between choosing Axel, or myself. The reason Teirra is reluctant to put this up on fanfiction is because with the length and detail and the screwed upness out-of-wack story line would be interesting, yes, confusing, yes, long, yes. This would seriously take about fifty chapters or more, and most people would be bored by then.**

**Teirra: Can't---Breathe!! Axel, gerroff!!**

**Axel: R&R people, or I'll Glomp you too. **got it memorized?


	11. Use you imaginations

**Teirra: Hola, Friends! Was I moving too fast last chapter, or too slow? Does it matter? I just realized, I really could careless, I'm so happy right now. My birthday's coming up soon, the party is this Saturday (Valentine's Day), and I was recently told that my fifteen year old sister is getting a puppy for her early birthday (which is in March). *-*; She wants to name it Moo. Like, Moo-Cow.**

**Furthermore, I just came up with this really good idea to see how much my reviewers really know me. Just give me the best answer with your reviews if you choose to do so.**

***Train in the corner reading over his OCS***

**Train: ^~^ Mmm…You have a thing for Black Cats, huh?**

**Ikuto: Amen, Brother. *high fives***

**Teirra: No freakin' duh! And my lucky number, ironically, is thirteen. Eheh. Maybe that's my problem. Yeah, you got it pretty flipping sweet in that story.**

**Train: If that's what you call it.**

**BC Nari: What was that?**

(Teirra; Seriously, when did you get here?)

**Train: Nothing!**

**Teirra: Anyway, before any more of my random characters pop up, I just want to say, it's freakin pointless to continually say the disclaimer, because you guys know I don't own this Manga/Anime!**

**And Kudos to The author of Stolen, Shugo chara Amuto fanfic. I'm in love with it, so much so you've inspired me. (can't remember your name, tho, Sorry! Don't Kill Ikuto!!!!! NOOOO!!!!! No tragedy, no tragedy!)**

**And I should probably say that this chapter will have my first Lime in it, so don't hate it too badly. I don't have experience in this field, not even in real life, or in any books I've read. (I believe Lime means Make-out. At least, that's what Samaru says, but she enjoys Lemons, which I totally know the meaning of, and She kinda freaks me out sometimes, so If I'm wrong, don't shoot me.)**

**------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------**

**\\Ame's PoV\\**

I was melting. I was a motionless marionette in his arms, besides the slow movements of my lips. It was an amazing experience, so much so, I completely forgot that he was only doing it to heal my eyes.

He accomplished it. I was completely cured. In fact, I could say I was seeing better than ever. But then, I closed my eyes to enjoy it.

If I thought his smell was good, I obviously hadn't _tasted_ him yet. I was drunk on it. I was getting some serious reactions from him, and I was extremely grateful to him when he didn't push me away when he realized my sight was better. Was he enjoying this as much as I was? Or just going along with it to double-check?

Is it just me, or was he getting aggressive?

I felt my tail unfurl and my ears pop up, only to flatten against my skull as I found myself leaning back. My arms pulled behind me, feeling for the wall, and I crawled back, not once letting him release me from his dark hold. When my back finally reached the wall, and Ikuto was somewhat on top of me, I felt something in my chest that made me think of the curling monster.

I began to purr.

He quivered as I twisted my fingers into his dark hair, laughing. The chirp in my purr unquestionably satisfied him to an eternal extent. I groaned inwardly, aware that he was gradually making my heart beat it's euphoria.

His tongue ran over the seam of my lips eagerly, seeking a way to enter. My lips parted forcefully as his tongue slipped in. His hands gripped my shoulders, tilting my head back, and he seemed to have found a sensitive patch of nerves in my mouth. My back arched like a cat, understandably, as his hand trailed upward under both my shirt and tank-top…

I moaned his name between a humanly exchange of breath, before he resumed his quest for my 'healing'.

Is it a bad time to say that my sister Amu was right next door? She'd stayed home from school too, because today was a Weather Day for her middle school, and that possibly, she could hear me doing _something_ over here? Wouldn't it totally suck if she had cracked the door just to see what it was that I was doing? Then rushed in, demanding to know what the hell I was doing?

Busted.

Ikuto swore as he turned away from me, teeth formed into that of an angry snarl. He faced the wall as I slowly disentangled my fingers from his hair, a blush covering my whole face. But I didn't flinch or let my head hang as I gazed at her.

Her gold eyes reflected amusement. "Well, Ame, I'm quite surprised by this…'Position' you're in." She covered a laugh with her hand, then she couldn't help but laugh hysterically. I sighed in relief. Amu wouldn't give me up to mom or dad. I wouldn't be allowed outside my house ever again if dad ever found out about what Ikuto just did to me. "Wow, is all I can say right now."

Ikuto slumped slightly, and his face relaxed. He was fighting a smirk. It seemed he knew something I didn't. "Well, dear sister, I can't express to you how wrong this really looks from what it's intention really was." I mumbled. "Please don't tell Dad."

"You're no one to talk right now, Ame." she teased. "Whatever the reason is, it's probably a good one." I'm glad she'd come over her hissy fit from a few days ago. "Not a bad choice either."

I heard Ikuto mumble something, a smile on his lips I'd so recently tasted. Something like, "Just stick with Muko."

Gently, and with great reluctance, I nudged Ikuto off of me, and sat over the side of the bed. For a moment, I realized we'd gone from first base to third in a matter of seconds. First base comforting hug, second base deep kiss, third base touchy feely crap, and for a mere second my mind went to fourth base, and quickly shut it out.

Out the corner of my eye I saw Ikuto turned away, a hand over his mouth. "You two think the same things."

I glared at Amu. "You perverted little--" Wait a minute. I rounded on him. "You never told me how you did that."

"I…um, was a tad bit preoccupied, Ame." He reminded me, and Amu smirked. "But I said I would, and I guess I have no choice now." his crooked smile blinded me for a heart-stopping moment. He glanced at Amu uncertainly. "You need to leave. I told Muko I wouldn't drag you into this."

Her face brightened visibly. "Muko talked about me?"

"Yes, Muko talked about her?" I narrowed my eyes. Something about the way that sounded didn't go well in my mind. Something about Muko made me very wary.

"And you have a right to be so, Ame. Now, Out with you, Kohai." She pursed her lips at the word he'd called her, but, not able to disobey her sempai, she turned on heel and shut the door behind her. "Alright." Throwing a glance over his shoulder, he called, "Daja, come here for a second, will you?"

After all this time, the thing that has been watching me for the past five days came into focus.

A Shugo Chara. No freakin' way. But he didn't look like a Shugo Chara. It was a floating sphere of metallic substance, with a few random buttons, about four different camera lenses, three lights, red, blue, and green, and a glowing band of dark blue around it's center.

"Daja was assigned to me to help me out. I can't tell you what for yet, but I have a really good feeling why I stuck him with you for the past few days."

Staring blankly at the lens that focused and refocused on me, I asked, "And how does he help you hear thoughts?"

"He has everything to do with electronics, internet, computer, TV, phone, you name it. He also can pick up on the brainwaves people emit when thinking. Thus, he translates them, and sends them to me. What he hears, I hear. What he sees, I see."

"So that means, you've been--" I've been changing clothes in front of Daja!

Ikuto chuckled, eyes never leaving my face. "Uh-huh. But it's not like it's anything worse than what we just did, right? I mean…I Just gave you the other set of power I have." he murmured quietly.

Which means he's stuck with me for the rest of his life.

The way he said this next part made me feel weird, like he wasn't being serious. "Don't worry about it. If it's you, I guess it's okay. After all, We were only being friendly--"

Someone pounded on the door. "Ame, some men in suits just pulled up in the driveway! They say their from 'Easter'. They want to discuss with you about a record deal. Don't you already have one of those?" Amu asked, perplexed.

Ikuto stiffened. "Kurega must have come to get you to meet the Director. He's after your Humpty Lock." He stood up and pulled me to my feet. "We have to go, now!"

"Ame?" Amu cried uncertainly. "I don't like these guys."

I paused, then whispered, "I'll go and make him think I'm thinking it over--the recording deal. Then he can deal with me another time, but I won't leave Amu here." Whatever the reason they were here for, if I didn't go quietly, they might harm Amu, from what I've heard about Easter. She has four Charas. Four times the pain.

He really wanted to bolt. I saw it outlined in every contour of his muscles. He was tensed and ready to flee. "I can't be here with you. I'm already in trouble as it is." He let go of me, and quietly slid the veranda door open, waiting for the moment to time the escape. "Yoru, get ready. Daja, stay with Ame." He commanded.

"I'm coming, Amu!" I shouted through my door, making myself presentable in my mirror, taking the lock off and tossing it to Ikuto, who glared at me in a way that said 'bad idea', but he tucked it away into his pocket. I opened my door, gave Ikuto a lasting look. He winked, smiling crookedly. "C'mon Ame, show me your acting skills." he meant that literally.

Karasu was superfluously excited about this. Her special skill was to make me as professionally professional as I could be in anything I did. Including acting.

Amu gave me this worried look as I came out, a smiling drama mask pinning my hair up on the side of my hear. "I don't like the looks of them." She murmured truthfully.

I rubbed her bubblegum pink hair with a smile. "No worries." She smiled, slightly reassured.

See? Professional acting.

**Teirra: alright, Quizzy quiz quiz.**

**Q: My penname is 'Hana Teirra' because,**

**A) Samaru thought it sounded weird and told me it fit me**

**B) It's my actual name translated to Japanese**

**C) It was totally random, and I found it online**

**D) All of the above**

**Which of these answers is correct?**

**Train: I think it's A. Samaru creeps me out, and it's like her to say that.**

**Ikuto: it's C, because Teirra is so random, she goes up and hugs the stupid little sixth graders who hate her guts.**

**Train: A**

**Ikuto: C**

**Teirra: It's R, people, for Rate and Review! I look back on this now and realize it's really short. ^^; Oh well. Love it anyway.**

**Train: it's A, you stupid Stray!**

**Ikuto: Hello? Stray much? If I'm not mistaken, you were Black Cat before I was!**

**BC Nari: Want to go get a smoothie?**

**Ame: Yeah, let's go.**

***they leave***

**Teirra: Wait! Take me with you!**


	12. Teirra

_**Teirra: Bonjour, Friends! Still sick and writing from home again. It's Tuesday, and I went to the doctor with my sister. She has conjunctivitis and I have a sinus infection. We're having a career fair today at school, but I don't want to Dress for Success, and Reichiiru didn't want to sit through two blocks of S.A.F.E. (Sex And Family Education) that's three complete hours of that crap.**_

_**Dark: I wouldn't want that either.**_

_**Hoshi (OC): I remember when we had to go through that too. Ick. **_

_**Teirra: So here I am, at home writing about five more chapters. So far I've writing four chapters from the comfort of my room. Yeah, this story is definitely going to be longer than 25 chapters. Eheh. **_

_**Hiwatari: Incompetence to complete this story is not acceptable, Teirra.**_

_**Tierra: *Bows head* Yes sir. TT so cruel to me. Ok, I DON'T OWN ANY SHUGO CHARA, SO UNDERSTAND THAT, YOU FANFICTION MODERATORS.**_

_**Chapter Twelve**_

_**\\Ame's PoV\\**_

_The limo ride to Easter was a scary one, one I refused to take without Mina on my shoulder. I had made sure that Amu would be safe, alone at home without any of the shady men prowling around. I had been asked to take any new music scores or underlays with me._

_So, with iPod in ears, I road with about a guard on my left arm, and two in front of me. I was terribly uncomfortable, with their stone faces, and sunglass-hidden eyes always watching me. I stared out the window, listening to my newest song's underlay, the music without me singing over it, and tried to piece my lyrics to it in my head._

_I had no intention of giving up my recording deal to Easter. I only planned on doing what I had told Ikuto._

_Which brought me back to a few questions. _

_Ikuto…Hn. _

_What was that? What we did back then…was definitely something else. I've never even had a first kiss, and I got __that_. Was that normal when you share power? Or was that a spur of the moment kinda feeling? I personally didn't think either one of us could help ourselves, our inner instincts. But now…I wanted him even more than ever, that was sure.

Shiro… Hn.

What about him? It wasn't fair on me to be so fond of Ikuto, when I barely even knew him. But, I know Ikuto better than I know Shiro. Intimately know him, to be precise. That says something right? 

Maybe Shiro and I could just be friends and leave it at that. His memory was only disturbing my heart, saying something was wrong with that, like I was cheating on Ikuto. 

But Ikuto had said that we only did that so I could see again. Did that mean that he had no emotional attachment to me at all? And that he and I were just friends now? I liked that, and disliked that. I would much rather be friends with him than to not be friends with him.

I licked my lips, as if they were chapped. I could still taste honey. I smiled. It's highly unlikely that I would ever forget his unique triple-scent/taste.

The limo rolled to a soft, gravelly stop in front of a shiny black skyscraper, with a large limestone sight out front, "Easter" with an ellipse behind it. A large, long length-wise staircase led up to the glassy doors and wall of windows. 

Someone came to my door and opened it for me, slipping a hand out for me to use to get out. As politely as I could, I declined and stepped into a light drizzle of rain. An umbrella was snapped open, and I thanked whoever it was. 

When we were inside, I was led past the gloomy lobby to a set of elevators, and we ascended to the eighteenth floor. When I stepped into a yellow bright hallway, A girl passed me. She lowered a phone from her lips, snapping it closed.

I stopped to see she had echoed my movements. She was exceptionally pretty, with gold blonde hair pulled up into unruly pigtails on each side of her head, at that alone came down the length of her back. Her face was pale and smooth, Slim pink lips, small nose, and sharp violet eyes that so very much stirred the butterfly holding my memories back. 

And some new memories as well. They looked so much like Ikuto's, I actually forgot that I hated her for a moment to recognize the fact that she had confused me.

Hoshina Utau glared at me. "Ame, What a surprise to see you." She murmured pleasantly, holding back her rivalry instincts for curiosity's sake. "What brings you to Easter?"

I raised an eyebrow and threw a fleeting glance at the body guards, who were staring me down. I flinched, and turned back to her. "To tell you the truth, I have absolutely no idea why." I said, shrugging. "But, I've been offered a recording deal here." 

She saw the look on my face. She knew I didn't want to be here, but she only laughed once and turned her head. "I hope not, because that would mean you and I would be working together. I wouldn't like that." She smirked a familiar smile.

"Yes, that would suck, indeed." I brought my eyebrows down as I agreed. She was really reminding me of Ikuto. "I would rather us be rivals."

She turned away. "I do hope your new song is worth listening to. Don't waste my time, will you?" She shot a venomous look at me, one so filled with sparks, that I felt a growl rumbling in my chest. "And Stay away from _him_."

"Him?" I accused, but she just stepped into the elevator, and the doors closed. My eyes narrowed, but I turned away from it and was ushered down the long hallway.

I had a feeling whom she was talking about.

**//Ikuto's PoV//**

I was in bad shape when I ran into the subway train car. My heart was pounding with over-exertion, like it would explode at any moment. I stumbled into the seat near the window, barely recognizing the person I'd almost squashed. Yoru meowed with worry, and I hissed for a moment as I grappled for the handle above my head, murmuring an apology to the man.

I put my hand over my eyes tiredly, calming my heart. 

The exchange I had made with her was undeniably draining me of strength. I knew the lack of strength was strong the first day, but that was an understatement to what I was going through right now. It was like I was a well that had just been sapped of everything I had. I was bone-dry weary. She'd drank away all I had to give her. 

I just hoped that I fixed her eyes for a while. My gut feeling was telling me something I didn't like.

My cell phone, which was a Blackberry Storm, vibrated in my pocket, and I answered it. "Hello?" I croaked wearily, eyes on the passing tunnel wall as I took a few steps toward the door in the back that led to the next car.

"Ikuto! Good, God, don't call, why don't you?" I heard Utau growl worriedly from the other end. "Soi's been shuffling around with her Dolls all day today, looking for a empty one. I think she plans on using it on you!" She confirmed my suspicions. "What's gotten into you?" She accused.

So far, Utau didn't know about my secret. I was still hiding Under from Easter. For good reason too, because Utau was Dolled. If I told her, Kuzuomi could use her to get to me to get to Under.

"I didn't feel like listening to orders is all. I didn't know they would take it so personally this time." I replied hoarsely. I slid the door back, revealing an empty cart, spare a girl at the end. I paid her no attention, and sat down wearily at the opposite end.

Yoru was trying to tell me something, but I just flicked his nose and told him to shut up.

"Why'd you choose _that_ mission to rebel?" She hissed. I kept my face blank, aware she couldn't see it anyway. Yoru was being strangely persistent, pointing at the girl at the end of the car. I growled a death wish to him, and he swallowed hard.

"I have my reasons, Utau. And you know them." Well, she knew different reasons from the new reasons that I was in love with Ame.

Her voice was a low whisper. "I thought we agreed to forget about that to protect _them_." She said urgently in her dark voice. "I didn't go through all the trouble of locking her--" She was interrupted by the ping of an elevator's announcement, and doors slid open. "Got to go." She said hastily, and hung up.

I sighed and leaned my head back against the back of the chair. Yoru yowled, jumping into my face. "Ikuto, this is REALLY important, ~nya!!" 

Immediately irked, I looked up at him and snarled, "What?"

He crossed his arms, pointing a clawed paw at the girl again.

"Teirra's here."

My eyes widened slightly, and my hand gripped my phone a little tighter. 

Oh no.

The girl was particularly unnoticeable, nothing striking about her, as if she were trying to hide from me. Except for this dangerously leering grin that said she knew something I didn't. Her eyes were narrowed, head propped up against an open palm, which was balance on one of her crossed legs. The most striking thing about her were her wild, golden eyes, the only thing off-set about her small body.

And I was immediately backing away from her. It was natural instinct. Her True Aroma, transitionally, was a soft, fragile smell, like that of a sunflower. The Emotion I felt was inviting me to be friendly.

But I knew better. I flattened myself against the door, just as I heard the mechanisms inside it lock. Crap! She'd cornered me without me knowing.

She stood up and stretched. Then, right before my eyes, she changed from a brunette short-haired girl with large innocent eyes, to a lithe, mean, eighteen year old with cat qualities.

Her hair became a tangled mess of beautiful golden-orange strands, short around her hair with light brown ears flattened down on the sides of her head. The rest of her hair was pulled together in a long, thick braid that was wrapped continuously with a black ribbon, leaving the end in a tuff of fur that just barely touched the floor. It twitched like a cat's tail, and swayed back and forth as she thought.

Her body, well, wasn't exactly small anymore. She was tall, one inch shorter than me, with a model's figure, taunt muscles ready to snap something's neck. Her black pants were pulled tight around her thighs, and ended just about halfway down her calf muscle. She was wearing plain converses with red stripes. Her shirt was long-sleeved that pulled down her arms to a ring on her middle finger, the shoulders cut out to where I could see the bare skin. The sleeves were black, but the material above the cut on her neck and chest was red and had three black slash marks across her chest, which wasn't very flat, mind you. Ame would be jealous. Her jacket was tied around her waist.

My eyes locked onto her hands. Each nail was a curved claw, black and shiny. She licked one of her fingers, and I saw a row of sharp teeth, top and bottom, in her smile. She was teasing me, making me realize how exactly I didn't know what was going through her mind.

Her Aroma shifted as well. It was her natural smell, the one I was used to. 

It said, fear me. Get ready to run, it cried, because I want to give chase.

As much of a predator as I was, Teirra was ten times worse. She was a prideful lioness on the hunt, and unfortunately for me, I just happened to be on her menu today.

I saw her Charas appear too. I couldn't name most--She had four-- only Doki, only her lion chara, who was, in many ways, like Tierra at this moment. Eyes dark, hair in a wild mane, claws drawn. That's because I saw Doki the most.

Doki wasn't the cause of her transformation. That was another Chara's power, her dream caster chara. That chara would also be the one putting me through a great deal of pain soon. Oh how I hope this was an accident. That look in her eyes told me that it wasn't. 

She shook her head slowly, putting her hands in her pockets, posture aloof for the moment. I knew all too well that she was just calculating her strike plan right now. "Ikuto, Ikuto, Ikuto…" Her voice was like glass, smooth and rang with a clear note of annoyance when you tapped it, which I'd obviously done somewhere along the lines of warranting my Dolling. "I can't believe you'd jeopardize Under." She paused, "Actually, I don't even know why you've done it. Yuuta only said you were getting Dolled." She narrowed her eyes, and Yoru hissed at Doki from my shoulder. What he felt for Mina was only kindergarten stuff compared to his distaste for Doki.

She waited for me to say something, but began to growl when all I did was taper my eyes to slits. 

"Explain yourself, before I drag it out of you, Tsukiyomi." 

I couldn't let that happen. I had to stall that part for as long as I was able too. 

Because not only did I fall in love with Ame, I fell in love with Ame when I wasn't allowed to. And now that I'd given up my second set of power to Ame, and the moment Teirra found out about it, I was dog meat, hypothetically speaking of course. Teirra would rip me apart herself.

So, I said the thing she would like to here. "I found the Humpty Lock."

She looked surprised. "Really? Well, it seems we now have the match to your key, huh, Ikuto?" Her tone was softer. She wasn't as angry as she was a moment ago. "Lana will be _ecstatic_." She murmured, eyeing me up and down.

I normally didn't mind the hungry stares girls gave me, especially Teirra, who'd had her eyes on me since I came to Under. But now, it just felt wrong. I was obligated to Ame now.

"So, you lied to Easter to hide the fact that someone has the Humpty Lock? I know we don't want Easter to get their hands on it, but you've been rebelling for a while now, and it was bound to happen soon…" She wasn't sure what to do. "Who had it?"

"Hinamori Ame."

She smiled demonically again. "Oh, yes. Lana will definitely enjoy hearing about this. She's been dying to know why I was called away so urgently this morning." She pulled out a phone, running through a random text message. "And I quote, 'It must be something pretty important for Ikuto not to tell me directly and to take matters into his own hands,' She says." She snapped it shut, looking back up at me with those wild eyes of hers. "To put a major Rock star like Hinamori Ame in Easter would be really bad for us, but if she were on our side…well, that would help us oh so much." 

She took a step closer to me, and I began to rumble a guttural growl. She didn't flinch, only continued to where she was directly in front of my, moving her hands over my arms in soothing motions. Most guys wouldn't mind dying in her arms, but I sure did.

In what me and Teirra were in, everyone was very close to each other, sparing the in your pants drama and down your throat drama. Tierra was especially attached to me, much like other girls, but she was special. That's why she normally didn't bother me when she came so close.

See, she couldn't take a second power. She already had it when she hatched Doki, her first Chara. She would never belong to a specific male, and she felt ostracized, whether she admits it or not. She would never belong to someone like Ame belonged to me now. (Luckily, Ame doesn't know that.) 

This made her ideal for what her dream caster's main job was. But deep inside, I knew she was terribly lonely. Without her life partner, it was like she was an empty shell. That's how either Ame or I would be if one of us died, if we ever got together. Exchanging power had a lot more detail to it than what I'd told her.

She locked her arms around my neck, and tilted her head to where she had to look at me from beneath dark eyelashes. "Ikuto…You understand what I have to do now…right?" She purred (not literally purred) seductively. Her fingers were twisting into my hair, just like Ame had earlier. I could feel the power surging under the skin that touched my neck. Her lioness ears disappeared into a shower of black sparkles, and her braid just hung limp as she switched to her Dream caster's character change.

I stiffened. I couldn't let her. She'll know that I gave Ame the power! She'll tell Lana, who will get so furious, she may never let me Above again. 

But it had to be done. If I get Dolled and she didn't do this, Under wouldn't be a secret anymore.

Maybe I can persuade Teirra not to tell Lana until I could do it myself…

Standing on tip-toes, Teirra leaned up…

And a blaring screech ripped into our ears. She drew back to cover her ears, and I immediately undid the character change to get rid of my over sensitive ears. The train pitched forward suddenly, and Teirra fell back. The train had stopped.

"We're sorry for the inconvenience, but the Train is having some mechanical difficulties. We're sorry for any delay in your plans, so please just relax and we'll be moving momentarily." an intercom buzzed.

I smiled and smashed a window open with a clawed fist, nails shining red-silver in the emergency lights. "No inconvenience at all! Yoru!" 

Together, we leaped out the window and disappeared into the pitch black of the train tunnel, leaving Teirra behind to deal with an empty train car.

**Tierra: How was that? I think it was really fast paced. We're slowly getting closer to what in an Anime would be considered an arch. Told you this would be long. Right now, for the first book, if I consider a sequel, there are about five arches. Oh, and Lana's name is pronounced Lonna. Au-sounding, ball or, baa, or fall etc.**

**Dark: Samaru wasn't kidding when she said you told her everything to the third movie you made. I should steal this.**

**Teirra: Nope, she wasn't, and I if you even think about coming out of your story I'll turn you n to the police.**

**Hoshi: Well what about your Kingdom Hearts story when you go to the random stories you've wrote--Mmpf!**

**Teirra: You're giving the plot away, like Samaru! And that's my version of the third game that hasn't been created yet. M'kay, quiz answer from last time, and new quiz.**

**Answer was D! It was all of the above, Duh.**

**M'kay.**

**My favorite animal is…**

**A) Tiger**

**B) Wolf**

**C) Horse**

**D) Monkey**

**Teirra: R&R peeps! Peace out!**


End file.
